TRANSPORT

Marine Accidents

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the number of (a) accidents and (b) fatalities in UK waters in each year since 1997 involving fisheries vessels, where vessel size to power ratio was identified as a contributory factor.

David Jamieson: The Marine Accident Investigation Branch of the Department for Transport record details of accidents and fatalities involving UK registered vessels or occurring in UK 12 mile territorial waters. They have searched their records and been unable to identify any incidents involving fisheries vessels from 1997 to date where vessel size to power ratio was a contributory factor.

Road Safety

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on reflective strips for builders' skips.

David Jamieson: The British Standards Institution has circulated a first draft of a proposed standard for high performance retroreflective materials, and is currently preparing a revised version taking account of the technical comments received. The Department intends, once the British Standard has been published, to consult on the proposal that local authorities should be able to specify the use of these products on builders' skips, as an alternative to using lamps in conjunction with lower grade retroreflective markings.

Road User Charging

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why the illustrative (a) constant motoring costs and additional investment, (b) wider take up of local charging powers and (c) limited inter-urban charging scenarios, and the three illustrative scenarios combined, from the original 10-year plan have not been repeated using the new transport model; and how much he estimates it would cost the Department in (i) monetary terms and (ii) departmental manpower to carry them out.

David Jamieson: There are several reasons why the scenarios have not been replicated. Our new National Transport Model is different to the one used for the original 10-year plan in a number of ways—including its multi-modal approach, more recent data and revised assumptions. Given this, attempting to replicate the scenarios would not provide us with useful information on the comparative performance of the two models. In addition, the information and assumptions on which the original scenarios were based has now been superseded, so the scenarios themselves would not be directly comparable.
	The limited information which would be gleaned means that replicating the identical scenarios has not been a priority for the modelling team. To date, and for the foreseeable future, run time is dedicated to priority work being undertaken as part of the review and roll forward of the 10-year plan. I have not estimated what the monetary costs would be, but due to the complexity of the model runs, the scenarios could take up to two weeks to produce, at the expense of urgent work required for the review and roll forward of the Plan.

Air Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what measures the Safety Regulation Group takes to ensure that (a) flight crew and (b) air traffic controllers are not subject to harassment after submitting safety related reports (i) within and (ii) outside the Mandatory Occurrence Reporting Scheme;
	(2)  what measures the Safety Regulation Group has taken to ensure that (a) flight crew and (b) air traffic controllers are able to comply with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998;
	(3)  how many times the Safety Regulation Group has revoked an air traffic controller's licence having received (a) an Overload Report and (b) a mandatory occurrence report;
	(4)  what steps the Safety Regulation Group takes to verify the (a) accuracy and (b) objectivity of the air traffic controller (i) Overload Report and (ii) mandatory occurrence reports.

David Jamieson: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is included in the Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) Order 1999 in respect of
	"compliance with the requirements of civil aviation legislation, including aviation safety". The CAA's Secretary and Legal Adviser is the first point of contact for those who wish to make a qualifying disclosure to CAA. Contact details are given in the Department of Trade and Industry Guide to the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
	Any reports received by the CAA under the Mandatory Occurrence Reporting Scheme are distributed only to a Department with a direct interest in the content of that report and the anonymity of the author will be retained throughout. Any individual who considers that they have been harassed as a result of submitting a report to the CAA may make a complaint to the CAA.
	Reports submitted outside the Mandatory Occurrence Scheme include those submitted by flight crew to the UK Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP). This programme provides a confidential reporting system for all individuals employed in or associated with the industries. In addition, the CAA meets annually with representatives of the British Airline Pilots Association where pilots' concerns may be raised in complete confidentiality and anonymity. And Air Traffic Controllers may, if they wish, file confidential reports directly to SRG.
	The CAA is aware that an Overload or Mandatory Occurrence Report submitted by a controller may be written subjectively. Therefore, CAA requires that each Air Traffic Control Unit has a process in place which undertakes local investigations of such reports to verify their accuracy and objectivity.
	The CAA has not revoked any Air Traffic Controller's Licence as a result of receiving an Overload or Mandatory Occurrence Report.

Air Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many unannounced inspections the Safety Regulation Group has carried out on civil air traffic control units within the last 30 months.

David Jamieson: The Safety Regulation Group has not carried out any unannounced inspections of civil air traffic control units within the last 30 months.

Air Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  whether all the senior managers at the Safety Regulation Group have attained relevant qualifications required for their civil role and responsibilities;
	(2)  how many senior managers have been employed by the Safety Regulation Group over the last 30 months who had (a) a solely civil aviation background and (b) a solely military aviation background;
	(3)  how many senior managers are employed by the Safety Regulation Group; and how many of these senior managers have (a) a civil aviation background and (b) a military aviation background.

David Jamieson: The Safety Regulation Group employs 43 senior managers. Of these:
	28 have a civil aviation background
	7 have a military aviation background
	8 have both a civil and a military background
	No senior managers have been recruited to the Safety Regulation Group from external sources over the last 30 months.
	All senior managers at the Safety Regulation Group are selected and appointed on the basis of objective judgment as to their suitability for the role, with regard to qualifications, experience, knowledge and competence.

Internal Telephone Directory

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the most recent internal phone directory for the Department was published; how often it is updated; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

David Jamieson: The Department's internal directory is held electronically and is continuously updated. The last paper copy produced was in November 2001 for the then DTLR. A copy will not therefore be placed in the Library.

London Underground

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 6 March, Official Report, column 1159W, on London Underground, what the period is of the contract with the London Underground PPP Infrastructure Consortia; what the break and reassessment periods are; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The full period in the contracts is 30 years. Periodic reviews are provided for at 7.5 year intervals.

National Transport Model

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many officials work on the National Transport Model.

David Jamieson: Nine officials work directly on the development, maintenance and application of the National Transport Model.

Railways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers travelled on the Great Western line in 2002 between (a) London Paddington and Reading and (b) Reading and London Paddington (i) each weekday on average, (ii) each weekend on average and (iii) on each day that the Reading Festival took place.

David Jamieson: The information is not available in the form requested. The Strategic Rail Authority publishes annual passenger journey figures for each Train Operating Company in its Annual Report, a copy of which is placed in the Libraries of the House.

Railways

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the 10 locations of greatest railway congestion, indicating how many trains pass per hour in each 1-hour period between 6 am and 10 pm on a typical weekday (a) in total and (b) per available track.

David Jamieson: holding answer 11 March 2003
	There is no one standard method of measuring congestion.
	The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) is developing Route Utilisation Strategies whose purpose is to identify the best overall use of the network. The SRA's Capacity Utilisation statement of principles, published in December 2002, has been placed in the House Libraries.

Railways

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Strategic Rail Authority regarding the announcement of the draft specifications for the new arrangements for the Thames Trains franchise due to commence in April and May 2004; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Strategic Rail Authority on plans for Great Western timetable restructuring in 2004; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: My right hon. Friend has regular contact with the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) on the full range of its activities. The SRA is considering the process for the replacement of the current Thames Trains franchise, which expires on 31 March 2004. The Great Western timetable is likely to change following the Great Western Main Line route utilisation strategy, which is expected to be implemented in 2004.

Rosyth

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many lorry movements he expects to divert from Hull to Rosyth as a result of his Department's grant assistance for new RO-RO facilities in Rosyth.

David Jamieson: My Department's grant award to Forth Ports plc, Rosyth was predicated on the substantial environmental benefits which will arise through the saving of over 400,000 long distance lorry movements between Scotland and English ports over the next 10 years. It is estimated that around 40 per cent. of these movements would otherwise have passed through the port of Hull.

Scotland

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans Ministers in the Department have to (a) visit Scotland on official business, (b) announce public appointments and (c) make ministerial announcements in April.

David Jamieson: Departmental business during the campaign period preceding elections to the Scottish Parliament will be conducted in accordance with the Guidance on Conduct for Civil Servants in UK Departments in respect of elections to the Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales, published by the Cabinet Office on 10 March.

Traffic Estimates

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why the estimates of traffic in 2000 will not be agreed until May 2003.

David Jamieson: A re-assessment of the traffic figures, which began in 2002, has been a major exercise, but is now nearing completion. It is expected that the revised estimates for all years will be ready for the next Road Traffic Statistics Quarterly Bulletin due to be published on Thursday 8 May. This will be in accordance with the new National Statistics protocol on Release Practices, which requires the publication of revised estimates as soon as these are available.

TREASURY

Armed Forces (Gratuities)

Adrian Flook: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to tax the gratuity which a member of the Armed Forces receives upon leaving.

Ruth Kelly: The current pensions simplification consultation document proposes that tax free lump sums paid from pensions schemes will only be available after the minimum age of 55. The Government is considering separately the position of members of the Armed Forces pension scheme in light of this proposal.

Child/Working Families Tax Credits

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to publish take-up figures for the child tax credit and the working families tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: Statistics on the Child and Working Tax Credit will be published quarterly, beginning in August 2003. The first set of statistics will cover awards at early July 2003.

Foreign Investment

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps has he taken to increase the level of UK private investment in less developed countries.

John Healey: The Chancellor has supported a range of initiatives to encourage foreign direct investment in developing countries. These include supporting the creation of new Investment Advisory Councils in developing countries which bring together public and private sectors together build a consensus, in the light of regional conditions, on how to secure higher levels of investment.
	Additionally, the UK government provides funding through DfID for a joint project between the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) and New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD). The project aims to encourage the private sector to work with the NEPAD programme of action, and stimulate the increased domestic and foreign investment required for NEPAD to succeed.

Foreign Investment

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from (a) business groups and (b) development organisations regarding private investment in developing countries.

John Healey: The Government views the creation of favourable business environments in developing countries as an important driver for growth and development. To this end Ministers regularly meet with a wide range of academics, business leaders and NGOs. Both the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for International Development recently addressed a government sponsored international conference on 'Financing Sustainable Development, Poverty Reduction and the Private Sector'.

Fuel Tax

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the impact on road traffic levels he estimates would be from (a) a decrease in petrol duty by 5p a litre, (b) a decrease in petrol duty by 10p a litre, (c) an increase in petrol duty by 5p a litre, (d) an increase in petrol duty by 10p a litre, (e) an increase in petrol duty by 20p a litre and (f) an increase in petrol duty by 50p a litre; and what he estimates the change to revenues to the Treasury would be from (a) to (f).

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	We are unable to estimate the impact on traffic of a change in the duty on petrol alone. The estimated effect of a 5p per litre reduction in duty on both petrol and diesel together, based on provisional traffic data for 2002, is to increase traffic levels by around 5.1 billion vehicle kilometres. Similarly, the estimated effect of increasing fuel duties by 5p per litre is to reduce traffic levels by 5.1 billion vehicle kilometres. Successive changes of 5p per litre in fuel duties are estimated to have effects of broadly the same magnitude, although the larger the change the greater the likely error in predicting its effects.
	The impacts on revenue can be estimated from Table 6 in "Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs", November 2002, published by HM Treasury.

Iraq

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to increase the funding available to the Department for International Development to prepare for the humanitarian consequences of war with Iraq; and what contingency planning he has made to increase the funding available to the Department for International Development for this purpose.

Tony Baldry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much additional funding has been given to the Department for International Development to help it prepare for and respond to the humanitarian consequences of war in Iraq.

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what funding has been earmarked for humanitarian relief in (a) Iraq and (b) its neighbours.

Paul Boateng: The Government have not yet made any firm estimates of the likely costs of humanitarian and reconstruction needs in Iraq if there was to be military action. The UK Government believe that the role of the United Nations and other multilateral institutions will be vital in addressing the reconstruction in Iraq if military action is taken. The UK Government will be fully involved in any humanitarian and reconstruction efforts in Iraq, alongside our international partners.

Landfill Tax

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his statement of 3 February, Official Report, column 5WS, on the landfill tax credit scheme, to what extent the transitional funding is adequate to cover all eligible claims for transitional funding in England; and who will decide, and how, which of competing eligible claims receives funding.

John Healey: As my Statement of 3 February Official Report, column 7WS, made clear, the transitional funding is being administered by Entrust, the regulating body of the landfill tax credit scheme, on behalf of DEFRA. An Independent Assessment Panel decides whether projects in England meet the criteria set out in the Statement. All projects which meet the eligibility criteria will receive transition funding.

Ministerial Travel

Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list internal flights made by Ministers in his Department in 2002, including in each case the (a) cost, (b) departure location and (c) destination; and of these how many were (i) first class, (ii) business class and (iii) economy class.

Ruth Kelly: As to flights taken by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 27 February 2003, Official Report, column 694W. With regard to flights taken by other Treasury Ministers, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 334W.

Royal Households

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to ask the Inland Revenue to investigate the remuneration policies of the Royal households.

Dawn Primarolo: The tax affairs of the Royal Households and their employees are confidential in the same way as those of other taxpayers. Exemption 15 (Statutory and other restrictions) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information applies.

Scotland

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans Ministers in the Department have to (a) visit Scotland on official business, (b) announce public appointments and (c) make ministerial announcements in April.

Ruth Kelly: Departmental business during the campaign period preceding elections to the Scottish Parliament will be conducted in accordance with the Guidance on Conduct for Civil Servants in UK Departments in respect of elections to the Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales, published by the Cabinet Office on 10 March.

Tax Incentives

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he has commissioned into the effect tax incentives may have on the level of UK private investment in less developed countries.

John Healey: The UK Government believes that the establishment of a good overall investment climate, rather than the use of tax incentives, is the most effective way of encouraging more productive private investment in developing countries. Through the Department for International Development the UK funds two research centres which conduct research into issues relating to private investment in developing countries.

Tobacco/Drink VAT Revenues

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the VAT revenue received from (a) advertising cigarettes, tobacco and related products and (b) advertising wine, spirits, beer and related products in each year since 1996.

John Healey: Any VAT relating to the advertising of tobacco or alcohol products will have been recoverable by VAT-registered purchasers of the advertising services. Therefore, such advertising has had no direct effect on VAT revenues.
	The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 bans most advertising of tobacco products.

CABINET OFFICE

Policy Unit

Archie Norman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants employed by (a) the Strategy Unit, (b) the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit, (c) the Office of the e-Envoy, (d) the Office of Public Services Reform and (e) the Prime Minister's Policy Unit have been (i) members of the Labour Party, (ii) employees of the Labour Party and (iii) employees of Labour hon. Members.

Douglas Alexander: The rules relating to the involvement of civil servants in political activities are set out in the "Civil Service Management Code". There is no requirement for Departments to collect information on civil servants' membership of political parties. Information relating to civil servants' previous employment is not maintained centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Civil Service

Howard Flight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent assessment he has made of the efficiency of the Civil Service; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Government Departments are already subject to a range of similar external checks and disciplines:
	performance of departments in delivering their PSA targets is assessed regularly by the Cabinet Committee on public services (PSX);
	departments are required to publish details of performance twice a year through departmental reports and the new autumn performance reports. These are subject to scrutiny through Parliament's departmental select committees;
	overall performance of departments is assessed every two years through the Spending Reviews when new budgets and targets are set;
	the Head of the Home Civil Service will be holding regular meetings with heads of departments to discuss progress on 'departmental change programmes'. The personal performance of individual Permanent Secretaries is also reviewed annually through the Permanent Secretaries' Remuneration Committee;
	the National Audit Office undertakes a programme of detailed value for money studies covering the activities of each departments, and Accounting Officers may be called before the Public Accounts Committee;
	the management of individual projects is subject to detailed scrutiny through the 'gateway' process led by the Office of Government Commerce.
	Taken together these processes provide substantial pressure for the improvement of performance, and a high degree of accountability and transparency.

Forward Strategy Unit

David Laws: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people work in the Forward Strategy Unit; what issues it is looking at; what its running costs were in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The (Prime Minister's) Forward Strategy Unit is no longer in operation. In June 2002 it was merged with the Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) and the Policy Studies Directorate of the Centre for Management and Policy Studies (CMPS), to create the Strategy Unit (SU).
	The staffing of the Strategy Unit varies according to its work programme. It is currently around 90 full-time equivalents.
	The Strategy Unit carries out long-term strategic reviews and policy analysis, which can take several forms:
	long-term strategic reviews of major areas oft policy;
	studies of cross-cutting policy issues;
	strategic audit; and
	working with departments to promote strategic thinking and improve policy making across Whitehall.
	The unit is also leading on work to maintain the quality and standards of government social research.
	Current Strategy Unit projects include:
	Ethnic minorities and the labour market;
	Alcohol harm reduction;
	Costs and benefits of GM crops;
	Local Government in the future;
	London;
	Drugs (jointly with the Home Office).
	There are more details of the unit's past and present work on its website: www.strategy.gov.uk
	(a) The estimated out-turn for the Strategy Unit's running costs in 2002–03 is £6,966,000.
	(b) Budgets have yet to be set for 2003–04.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Dolphins

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what recent estimates the Government has made of dolphin bycatch deaths in UK fishing waters;
	(2)  what measures the Government plans to introduce to reduce incidents of dolphin bycatch by UK fishing boats.

Elliot Morley: The Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) on behalf of Defra has carried out sample surveys of fisheries implicated in the bycatch of dolphins. These surveys have indicated a problem in the offshore bass fishery where the pair trawling teams monitored caught dolphins at a rate of approximately one every three hauls. However, bycatch information from other member states whose vessels operate in this fishery and elsewhere in UK waters is not available so it is not possible to produce reliable estimates of dolphin bycatch deaths in UK waters.
	This reinforces the need for action on the part of all member states involved in the fisheries concerned and the Commission if measures to reduce dolphin deaths are to be effective. This is why we raised the need for urgent action at the January Council of Ministers' meeting. I have also raised this issue with Commissioner Fischler on a number of occasions both in writing and in personal contacts. I have also recently written to the Commission to press for urgent action to widen observer coverage off the South West coast where a number of other Member States' vessels fish. I was pleased that the Commission included a commitment to take action in this area in papers produced as part of the recent reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. I am looking for positive action on this in response to our recent approaches.
	In the meantime, Defra has also committed some £140,000 for trials into the use of exclusion devices developed by the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) to reduce the bycatch of cetaceans in the offshore bass fishery. I will also, along with the devolved administrations, shortly be issuing a consultation document outlining a UK bycatch response strategy. This will set out the extent of our knowledge of bycatch in UK waters and make proposals for action to address the bycatch problem. The document will be laid in the Library of the House and I will ensure that my hon. Friend receives a personal copy.

Fur Farming

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what additional financial assistance will be given to those who previously fur farmed.

Elliot Morley: Licensed fur farm businesses, which closed down after the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act 2000 received Royal Assent, will be able to claim compensation. A compensation scheme will be drawn up under the Act to provide payment for certain categories of loss.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Fuel Poverty

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many households in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK were in fuel poverty on (i) 1 February 1997 and (ii) 1 February 2003.

Brian Wilson: The Government published "The UK Fuel Poverty Strategy 1st Annual Progress Report" on March 2003. This showed that the number of households in fuel poverty in the UK is estimated to have fallen from about 5½ million in 1996 to about 3 million in 2001.
	The available information on fuel poverty in the is set out as follows. Figures are not available centrally for the Jarrow constituency or for South Tyneside.
	
		Number and percentage of households in fuel poverty
		
			  1996 1998 2001 
			  Number of households (thousands) Percentage Number of households (thousands) Percentage Number of households (thousands) Percentage 
		
		
			 North East 331 31.0 280 26.3 106 10.2 
			 England 4,287 21.8 3,278 16.4 1,761 8.6

Auditing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to require auditors to owe a duty of care to individuals who are shareholders at the date of the audit report.

Melanie Johnson: The Company Law Review carefully considered the arguments for and against extending by statute those to whom a company's auditors owe a duty of care. The Final Report concluded, in the light of responses to consultation, that the case for statutory extension had not been made out and that negligence law in this field was best left to the normal process of case law. The Government is considering this recommendation as part of the wider issue of auditor liability.

Computer Contracts (Iraq)

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export regulations apply to the computer and computer maintenance contracts between ICL/Fujitsu and the Government of Iraq; when approvals have been given; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: The export of computers, and goods required for their maintenance, from the UK to Iraq is controlled under the provisions of the Export of Goods (Control) (Iraq and Kuwait Sanctions) Order 1990. In addition, a UK company might require an individual licence to communicate, before entering into a contract to supply goods or services to Iraq, if the business they wished to discuss was not covered by the provisions of the Open General Licence to Communicate dated 19 November 1998.
	The details of export licence applications from particular companies are normally commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure under exemptions 13 and 14 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. However, details of export licence applications from ICL, to export computer systems to Iraq prior to the imposition of UN sanctions in August 1990, were published in the 1996 Report of the Inquiry into the Export of Defence Equipment and Dual-Use Goods to Iraq and Related Prosecutions. A copy of the 1996 Scott Report is available from the Libraries of the House.
	We have not been able to identify any export licence application from ICL or Fujitsu, to supply computers or related equipment to Iraq, since 2 May 1997.

Correspondence

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Minister for e-Commerce and Competitiveness will reply to the letter of the hon. Member for Wrexham of 27 November.

Stephen Timms: The reply was sent on 13 December 2002.

Disabled People

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what help is given to disabled people collecting benefits from post offices.

Stephen Timms: Compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act at any specific post office location is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. in respect of Crown offices and the individual sub-postmaster in respect of sub-post offices. I have been informed by Post Office Ltd. that sub-postmasters have been provided with packs enabling them to audit their own offices for Disability Discrimination Act compliance and that advice will be provided by POL throughout the process.

Energy White Paper

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her Answer of 7 March 2003, Official Report, column 1290W, on the Energy White Paper, if she will place a copy of the nuclear and radiological skills study in the Library; what the URL is for the report on her Department's website; and if she will publish the (a) names and (b) affiliations of the members of the task group.

Brian Wilson: Copies of the report of the nuclear and radiological skills study have been placed in the Library of the House and are also available on the DTI website at http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/nuclear/sldlls/nsg.shtml The report was produced by a group chaired by Professor John Chesshire and made up of people from the nuclear industry, academics and officials from my Department, the Department for Education and Skills, the Department of Health, the Ministry of Defence and the Health and Safety Executive. Full details are listed in the report.

Fireworks

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to restrict the sale and use of very noisy fireworks; and at what decibel level the restriction will be set.

Melanie Johnson: The Firework (Safety) Regulations 1997 prohibited the supply to the general public of aerial shells, shells-in-mortar and some other large and powerful fireworks including the category 4 type.
	Fireworks meeting these Regulations must comply with BS7114. However, this standard does not set a maximum noise level.
	As part of the work associated with the Fireworks Bill currently before Parliament, we are considering how best to control the level of noise emitted by fireworks.

Glass

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many tonnes of (a) green, (b) white and (c) brown glass were imported in each year since 1997.

Alan Johnson: The information is not available.

Glass

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many tonnes of (a) green, (b) white and (c) brown glass were manufactured in the UK in each year since 1997.

Alan Johnson: The information is not available.

Hydropower

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the contribution of hydropower on British rivers towards electricity production.

Brian Wilson: The most recent statistics for year ending December 2001 show that hydro-power in the UK has an installed capacity of about 1500 MW which could be expected to produce between 4000 and 5000 Giga Watt Hours of electricity, the actual output being dependent on rainfall.
	Source:Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2002 (Published by the Department of Trade & Industry)

Iraq (Oil)

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what (a) discussions she has held with and (b) representations she has received from the US Government concerning the exploitation of Iraqi oil following any conflict which leads to regime change;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues concerning the exploitation of Iraqi oil following a conflict in the Middle East;
	(3)  what discussions she has held with multinational oil companies concerning the exploitation of Iraqi oil following any conflict in the Middle East.

Patricia Hewitt: It is our position that Iraqi oil is owned by the Iraqi people. Its revenues should be used for the good of the people. We make this clear in all our contacts on the subject.
	However, the current situation is not about oil, it is about weapons of mass destruction and the Iraqi regime deliberately flouting the will of the United Nations.

Ministerial Meeting

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the meeting between the hon. Member for Leicester, East and the Minister for E-Commerce on 10 March.

Stephen Timms: I met the hon. Member and a delegation representing the textiles and clothing industry in Leicester to discuss issues relating to the industry. I agreed to write to the hon. Member addressing the points raised at the meeting, which I will do shortly.

Motor Fuel

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many representations she has received advocating an investigation by the Competition Commission into motor fuel (a) retailing and (b) wholesaling.

Melanie Johnson: In recent months, we are aware of having received one representation advocating an investigation by the competition authorities into motor fuel retailing or wholesaling.

Nuclear Exports (India)

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether there is a complete embargo on exports of replacement parts for nuclear power stations in India.

Nigel Griffiths: I refer the hon. Member to the reply from my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Bradshaw), the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, to my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Mr. Love) on 15 March 2002, Official Report, columns 1298–1300W.
	A licence will not be issued where there is a clear risk that the items could contribute to weapons of Mass Destruction Programme.

Office of Fair Trading

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she plans to replace the computer licensing system at the Office of Fair Trading; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: Investment in the OFT's computer systems is a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading to decide.

Pharmacies

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with the Scottish Executive Department for Health on the report from the Office of Fair Trading on the regulation of pharmacies.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 17 March 2003
	There have been a number of discussions between this Department and the Scottish Executive Department for Health and Community Care, at Ministerial and official level.

Pharmacies

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with representatives of the pharmacy profession in Scotland on the Office of Fair Trading report on the regulation of pharmacies.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 17 March 2003
	Representations have been made to the Department of Health and Community Care at the Scottish Executive. This Department has been made aware of the content of those representations and officials have attended meetings in Scotland to hear the concerns of the profession directly.

Pharmacies

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to consult the Scottish Executive on the implications of the OFT report on pharmacists.

Melanie Johnson: This Department is working co-operatively with health departments in all the devolved Administrations in considering the OFT report on Pharmacy entry controls.

Public Sector Documents

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the impact on United Kingdom GDP of implementation of the Draft Directive on the re-use and commercial exploitation of public sector documents.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 10 March 2003
	It is too early to say with any certainty what impact the implementation of the Directive will be within the UK, and no estimate has been made, but the proposal, as amended within the Council Working Group and due to be considered at the 27 March Telecoms Council, is broadly consistent with the policy adopted within the UK in 2000. That policy, the result of the Cross-cutting Review of the Knowledge Economy, has meant that most central Government information is now licensed for re-use on a marginal cost basis, which in practical terms generally means free of charge. The UK reserved the right of Trading Funds, such as Ordnance Survey and the Met Office, to charge for their documents in a way that would allow them to obtain a reasonable return on investment, and that latitude is reflected in the Directive.
	If the text is adopted, any effect on GDP would be from the easier re-use of European documents. This would depend on the extent to which UK companies and others took advantage of it. A provisional estimate carried out by Pira International for the European Commission in 2000 suggested that the annual economic benefit for the European Union as a whole would be between 28 billion Euro and 134 billion Euro.

Security (Nuclear Power Stations)

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a further statement on the incursion by protesters into the Sizewell B nuclear plant on 13 January in respect of allegations that a serious breach of security occurred.

Brian Wilson: I have nothing to add to the Statement I made on 28 February 2003, Official Report, columns 56–57WS, and to the Statement made by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Small Business on 14 January 2003, Official Report, columns 547–50.

Security (Nuclear Power Stations)

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what research she has undertaken to ascertain the effects of a worst case scenario terrorist attack on Sizewell A and B Power stations;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of recent research into (a) the number of fatalities and (b) the other consequences that could arise as a result of terrorist attack on a nuclear power station.

Brian Wilson: The Government have undertaken an assessment of potential terrorist acts against all civil nuclear power stations. The results are not published on the grounds that the information would be of value to potential terrorists.
	There are well tried and tested contingency plans for dealing with the aftermath of an accident, terrorist attack or other incident affecting a nuclear power station. These have been developed over many years and practised regularly in a rolling programme of local site-based exercises involving the site operators and the relevant local and national agencies. The lessons of these exercises are taken forward both locally, and nationally through the DTI-chaired Nuclear Emergency Planning Liaison Group.

Tidal Energy

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received about the development of tidal energy lagoons off (a) the Welsh coast and (b) elsewhere in the UK.

Brian Wilson: My Department has received a number of representations from one organisation regarding a tidal lagoon project in the UK.

Tidal Energy

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent estimate she has made of the cost of power from (a) waves, (b) tidal stream, (c) tidal barrage and (d) tidal lagoons.

Brian Wilson: A number of claims have been made about the cost of power from these technologies but as they have not yet been demonstrated as proven and reliable methods of electricity generation such estimates are speculative.
	The exceptions to this are tidal barrage on which much work has been done in the past, particularly in respect of the Severn Barrage and tidal stream. A recent review of the Severn Scheme showed previous conclusions that such projects are uneconomic compared with other forms of electricity generation were unchanged.
	In 2001 a study* which re-examined the commercial prospects for tidal stream power did make some cost estimates based on a single device concept. The likely cost of energy from this device were estimated in the range 4–6 p/kWh. However these are very tentative since the concept has yet to be demonstrated.
	* The Commercial Prospects for Tidal Stream Power DTI/Pub URN 0I/1011

Tidal Energy

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the feasibility of offshore tidal power generation.

Brian Wilson: In 2001 a study was commissioned which re-examined the commercial prospects for tidal stream power*. The UK is at the forefront of development of technologies which harness this potential although this form of generation has yet to be shown to be commercial.
	* The Commercial Prospects for Tidal Stream Power DTI/Pub URN 01/1011

Tidal Energy

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the potential of tidal energy lagoons to provide renewable energy in the UK.

Brian Wilson: Tidal lagoons as with other forms of large scale barrage have potential to contribute to the UK's renewable energy targets. However, these schemes have a very substantial impact on the environment and in the case of lagoons their economics have yet to be demonstrated.

Tidal Energy

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the role that non-barrage tidal power electricity generation could play in achieving renewable energy targets.

Brian Wilson: The recent Energy White Paper acknowledged the potential contribution that tidal power technologies could make to achieving the Government's longer term renewable energy goals. In 2001 a study was commissioned which re-examined the commercial prospects for tidal stream power*.
	* The Commercial Prospects for Tidal Stream Power DTI/Pub URN 01/1011

Veterans' Day

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will institute an annual holiday early in November, to be called Veterans' Day, in honour of those who have given their life in defence of the country.

Alan Johnson: The Government have no plans at present to increase the number of bank holidays.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Cyprus

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he plans to have with member states of the European Union on the role the Union will play in future negotiations regarding Cyprus.

Denis MacShane: Regrettably, it has not proven possible to secure a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus in time for a reunited island to sign the Treaty of Accession with the European Union on 16 April. As decided by the Copenhagen European Council, Cyprus will accede with the acquis suspended in the north of the island. The Commission will, in consultation with the government of Cyprus, consider ways of promoting economic development of the northern part of Cyprus and bringing it closer to the Union. The UK and the EU remain committed to efforts to achieve a comprehensive settlement within the framework of the UN Secretary-General's proposals of 26 February. However, as Mr. Annan made clear in his concluding statement in The Hague, an opportunity like the one so recently missed is unlikely to recur for some time.

Iraq

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what the source was of the material provided to UNSCOM about Iraq's attempts to obtain nuclear material in Africa; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will publish the evidence provided to UNSCOM that Iraq has tried to procure nuclear material in Africa.

Mike O'Brien: The material provided was principally based upon intelligence reporting. It is not Government policy to disclose information on intelligence matters.

Israel

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will call on Israel to disarm its weapons of mass destruction in accordance with United Nations Resolution 687.

Mike O'Brien: We regularly urge Israel to resolve international concerns about its nuclear status by acceding to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear weapons state and to enter into a full-scope safeguards agreement with the IAEA. We also urge them to sign and ratify all other International treaties relating to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
	The UK has consistently supported resolutions in the United Nations calling for the establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

English Heritage

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the administrative costs were of English Heritage for each Government office of the region in (a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01, (c) 2001–02 and (d) 2002–03.

Kim Howells: The administrative costs of English Heritage's Regional Offices are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Region 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 East Midlands 205,600 236,152 261,283 259,300 
			 East of England 337,300 376,036 402,077 369,460 
			 London 411,400 382,638 432,483 397,140 
			 North East 331,200 294,967 322,004 320,960 
			 North West 124,300 147,849 173,833 153,720 
			 South East 948,200 871,951 1,010,344 1,121,180 
			 South West 821,600 574,629 661,413 639,980 
			 West Midlands 323,100 365,103 355,959 440,540 
			 Yorkshire 483,200 622,754 670,319 575,240

New Opportunities Fund

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the administrative costs were of the New Opportunities Fund for each Government office of the region in (a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01, (c) 2001–02 and (d) 2002–03.

Richard Caborn: The New Opportunities Fund set up its England regional team in September 2001. The administrative costs in each region were:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2001–02 (1)36,250 
			 2002–03 79,776 
		
	
	(1) Part-year costs

Sea Angling

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the promotion of recreational sea angling.

Richard Caborn: The Government does not have responsibility for the promotion of particular sports. The National Federation of Sea Anglers, the sport's governing body, is funded through Sport England for the promotion and development of recreational sea angling.
	The Joint Angling Governing Bodies (which includes the National Federation of Anglers), with support from Sport England, have launched their plan for the future of the angling, which includes; expanding participation; leading the angling community; improving performance and raising the profile of the sport.

Sea Angling

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the National Federation of Sea Angling.

Richard Caborn: I have had no such discussions. However, officials from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport recently met representatives from a wide range of sea angling interests, including the National Federation of Sea Anglers, along with representatives from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
	My officials also meet representatives from all the angling disciplines, including those from the National Federation of Sea Anglers each year at the Angling Summit.

Sports Facilities

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action she is taking to maintain a national register of sports facilities; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: My Department has announced our intention to establish an England-wide database of sports facilities. Information on sports facilities in England is currently held by a variety of organisations and a single database will enable more strategic Government investment in those areas and facilities that are most important.
	Sport England has been working on the development of an England-wide database of sports facilities and have completed the first stage of work on the tendering process.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Careers Guidance

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is Government policy to make available individual careers guidance to all students at the close of their compulsory school years.

Ivan Lewis: Careers education and guidance is available through schools and the Connexions Service to all young people aged 13–19 as and when they need it. Where a young person needs individual careers guidance at the close of their compulsory school years then this is made available.

Class Sizes

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what average (a) primary and (b) secondary school class sizes were in England in each year from 1980–81 to 2003–04 (planned), (i) broken down by local education authority and (ii) in total; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Twigg: The required information is readily available for 1980, 1985, 1990 and each year from 1995 to 2002. A table giving this information has been placed in the Library.

Co-payments

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to introduce co-payments for the public services for which he is responsible; and for which services.

Charles Clarke: The Department for Education and Skills has no plans to introduce further co-payment arrangements, where the recipient of education services contributes to their cost, other than those that have already been published in the recent Higher Education White Paper.

Connexions Service

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what qualifications mentors working with Connexions are required to have.

Ivan Lewis: Connexions Personal Advisers are drawn from a range of professional backgrounds. To be fully qualified they must possess an NVQ level 4 or equivalent in a relevant professional discipline (e.g. careers, youth work, social work) and have attended a bespoke training programme, either Understanding Connexions or the Diploma for Connexions Personal Advisers. Training is accredited by higher education institutions approved by the Connexions Service National Unit.

Connexions Service

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many mentors are retained in each region by Connexions partnerships; and what his estimate is of how many there will be at the end of 2003.

Ivan Lewis: The latest Management Information collected from Partnerships shows that at the end of December 2002 there were 6,399 Connexions Personal Advisers in post. Broken down by region, the figures are as follows:
	
		
			 Region Personal advisers(2) 
		
		
			 South East 608 
			 London 838 
			 South West 731 
			 East of England 450 
			 West Midlands 879 
			 East Midlands 493 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 799 
			 North West 1,177 
			 North East 424 
		
	
	(2) End December 2002
	Note:
	Data excludes Norfolk and Berkshire Partnerships which started January 2003.
	Source
	Partnership MI at end December 2002
	The funding provided in the Spending Review 2002 makes provision for this number to rise to almost 10,000 in 2004.

Connexions Service

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of mentors working with Connexions (a) have been checked by the Criminal Records Bureau and (b) are waiting for their checks to be completed.

Ivan Lewis: Although Connexions Partnerships provide us with the numbers of Personal Advisers they have recruited, they are not required to provide data on the numbers who have been subject to List 99 and Criminal Records Bureau checks. To do so would serve no purpose as it is a legal requirement for employers to ensure that all Personal Advisers have been subjected to completed List 99 checks before they can come into direct contact with young people. Collecting information on the numbers checked would only serve to place an unnecessary burden on partnerships.

Connexions Service

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what rights a parent has to know (a) whether their child is being advised by a mentor from the Connexions service, (b) the name of that mentor, (c) the occasions when meetings have taken place and (d) the subjects that were discussed.

Ivan Lewis: Connexions Partnerships will generally advertise the existence of the Connexions service within their locality. In addition, through the Partnership Agreement, Partnerships will work with schools, colleges and other appropriate institutions to make the availability of the Connexions Service known to parents and their sons and daughters; letting them know that it is available to all 13–19 year olds within their school or institution, via various contact points within the community or through the on-line service, Connexions Direct. Connexions Personal Advisers also strongly encourage young people to discuss any Connexions support with their parents but respect the right of the young person not to do so.
	Partnerships are not obliged to notify parents that their child is actively involved with Connexions—either in one to one sessions with a Personal Adviser or through more general group sessions. The exception to this may be if the Personal Adviser is working with a young person in a school where it has been agreed that the school's confidentiality policy is followed, which may give the parents the right to know this information.
	All information sharing policies drawn up by Connexions Partnerships must be in accordance with the Data Protection Act and other relevant legislation.

Connexions Service

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what contact mentors who have not been security checked by the Criminal Records Bureau are allowed to have with young people.

Ivan Lewis: Before being allowed any direct contact with young people—supervised or otherwise—all Personal Advisers must, as a minimum, have been List 99 cleared (a DfES maintained list of people whose employment working with young people has been barred or restricted by the Secretary of State). Partnerships must also carry out Criminal Records Bureau checks on all Personal Advisers. However, as List 99 provides robust clearance on child protection issues, Personal Advisers cleared in this way are able to have unsupervised, direct contact with young people while the Criminal Records Bureau check is undertaken.
	The Financial Memorandum for Connexions Partnerships requires Connexions Partnerships to take all reasonable precautions to avoid employing any person convicted of a criminal offence involving an offence against the person, or an offence involving sexual behaviours, except with the prior written consent of the Secretary of State. Where the Criminal Records Bureau check reveals other such criminal convictions, it is up to the Partnership to decide if they wish to obtain this consent.

Lower-income Families

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what definition of lower-income families is used in the White Paper on Higher Education.

Margaret Hodge: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the Member for Birmingham Selly Oak on 6 February, Official Report, column. 358W

Ministerial Visits

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) schools and (b) universities he and each of his ministerial colleagues have visited in the past 12 months.

Stephen Twigg: Ministers have made 152 visits to schools and 30 visits to universities on departmental business since March 2002.

Short-listed Suppliers

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 25 February, ref 99110, how many short-listed suppliers (a) could and (b) could not meet the terms.

Ivan Lewis: There were insufficient companies which met the terms and conditions of the framework exercise to offer an acceptable choice to schools.
	The decision to abandon the procurement exercise was made in accordance with all appropriate regulations.

Special Schools

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many special schools have been operating for (a) visually and (b) hearing impaired children in each year since 1995.

Ivan Lewis: The following table sets out the number of special schools operating for visually impaired (VI) and hearing impaired (HI) children.
	
		
			  VI HI VI/HI/MSI Total 
		
		
			 1995 24 43 82 149 
			 1996 24 43 82 149 
			 1997 24 43 82 149 
			 1998 24 43 81 148 
			 1999 24 43 81 148 
			 2000 24 43 80 147 
			 2001 24 43 79 146 
			 2002 23 42 79 144 
			 2003 23 42 79 144 
		
	
	In addition to VI and HI schools the table identifies the special schools that make a combination of provision, which may also include multi-sensory impairment (MSI).

Truancy

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the truancy rates from pupil referral units were in each academic year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: Information on pupil attendance at Pupil Referral Units is not collected centrally.

DEFENCE

Anti-personnel Mines

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the occasions since UK ratification of the Ottawa Treaty on which UK forces personnel have been involved with operations involving the use of anti-personnel mines by other countries.

Adam Ingram: We do not keep records of which other nations use anti-personnel mines. The use of such weapons and compliance with the Ottawa Convention is a matter for individual nations. The United Kingdom's participation in operations with other countries is in full compliance with our obligations under the convention.

Depleted Uranium

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in the event of military action in Iraq (a) UK and (b) US forces will use tank shells containing depleted uranium.

Adam Ingram: United Kingdom Forces currently deployed to the Gulf have depleted uranium tank munitions available as part of their armoury and will use them if necessary.
	I am unable to comment on United States Forces' munitions.

Equipment Stocks

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what stocks his Department holds, broken down by unit, of (a) desert boots, (b) desert clothing, (c) Combat 95 clothing and (d) tents; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: With regard to boots and clothing, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 January 2003, Official Record, column 640W to the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Keetch).
	With regard to tents, units hold only a small quantity of tents for use as administrative and storage facilities. Information on numbers at each unit is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

European Union

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the EU is involved in peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: There is no peacekeeping force in Afghanistan. The role of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is to assist the Afghan Transitional Authority in the maintenance of security in Kabul and its surrounding areas so that the Authority and United Nations' personnel can operate in a secure environment. The deployment of the ISAF is authorised by the United Nations' Security Council Resolution 1444 and the European Union has no role in the Force.

Exercise Saif Sareea

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department has taken to resolve the (a) logistical, (b) communications and (c) equipment failures identified through Exercise Saif Sareea II.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 2 December 2003
	Exercise Saif Sareea II was a major success and demonstrated, as planned, key elements of the Joint Rapid Reaction concept. Many of the lessons identified have already been implemented including modifications to the challenger 2 Main Battle Tank to improve its performance in desert conditions and an environmental enhancement pack for the AS90 self-propelled gun. In addition, following the successful trial on Exercise Saif Sareea II Personal Role Radios have been issued to all those ground forces deployed to Kuwait who could potentially be involved in combat.

HMS Albion and Bulwark

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated cost of building HMS Albion and Bulwark was; what their initial expected in-service date with the Royal Navy was; what his estimate of their actual building cost is; whether any additional cost will be met by the Government; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The maximum estimated cost to the Ministry of Defence at contract award of the Landing Platform Dock (Replacement) programme was £819 million, including the associated landing craft; the current estimated cost to the MOD is £790 million. The Prime Contractor has reported losses on the LPD(R) programme but there will be no additional costs to the MOD under the contract. It would not be appropriate to disclose an estimate of the actual cost to the Prime Contractor as the extent of their cost overrun is commercially confidential; I am therefore withholding this information under Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	The planned in-service dates were originally March 2002 for HMS Albion and March 2003 for HMS Bulwark.

Iraq

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether British aircraft participated in recent coalition attacks on Iraqi ground positions; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: British aircraft continue to respond to threats from Iraqi forces while patrolling the no fly zone.

Military Forces Training

Robert Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those countries whose military forces have been provided with training in the United Kingdom since 1997.

Adam Ingram: Between January 1997 and March 2003 the Ministry of Defence has provided training in the United Kingdom to members of the military forces of 134 countries. A complete list of countries that have trained in the UK follows:
	1. Abu Dhabi
	2. Albania
	3. Algeria
	4. Angola
	5. Antigua
	6. Antigua and Barbuda
	7. Argentina
	8. Armenia
	9. Australia
	10. Austria
	11. Azerbaijan
	12. Bahamas
	13. Bahrain
	14. Bangladesh
	15. Barbados
	16. Belarus
	17. Belgium
	18. Belize
	19. Bermuda
	20. Bosnia
	21. Botswana
	22. Brazil
	23. Brunei
	24. Bulgaria
	25. Canada
	26. Cayman Islands
	27. Chile
	28. China
	29. Colombia
	30. Croatia
	31. Czech Republic
	32. Denmark
	33. Ecuador
	34. Egypt
	35. El Salvador
	36. Estonia
	37. Ethiopia
	38. Fiji
	39. Finland
	40. France
	41. Gambia
	42. Georgia
	43. Germany
	44. Ghana
	45. Greece
	46. Grenada
	47. Guatemala
	48. Guyana
	49. Honduras
	50. Hong Kong
	51. Hungary
	52. Iceland
	53. India
	54. Indonesia
	55. Ireland
	56. Israel
	57. Italy
	58. Jamaica
	59. Japan
	60. Jordan
	61. Kazakhstan
	62. Kenya
	63. Kosovo
	64. Kuwait
	65. Kyrghistan
	66. Latvia
	67. Lebanon
	68. Lithuania
	69. Luxembourg
	70. Macedonia
	71. Malawi
	72. Malaysia
	73. Maldives
	74. Malta
	75. Mauritania
	76. Mauritius
	77. Mexico
	78. Moldova
	79. Morocco
	80. Mozambique
	81. Namibia
	82. Nepal
	83. Netherlands
	84. New Zealand
	85. Nicaragua
	86. Nigeria
	87. Norway
	88. Oman
	89. Pakistan
	90. Papua New Guinea
	91. Paraguay
	92. Peru
	93. Philippines
	94. Poland
	95. Portugal
	96. Qatar
	97. Romania
	98. Russia
	99. Rwanda
	100. Saudi Arabia
	101. Senegal
	102. Seychelles
	103. Sierra Leone
	104. Singapore
	105. Slovakia
	106. Slovenia
	107. South Africa
	108. South Korea
	109. Spain
	110. Sri Lanka
	111. St. Christopher and Nevis
	112. St. Lucia
	113. St. Vincent
	114. Swaziland
	115. Sweden
	116. Switzerland
	117. Syria
	118. Tanzania
	119. Thailand
	120. Tonga
	121. Trinidad and Tobago
	122. Turkey
	123. Uganda
	124. Ukraine
	125. United Arab Emirates
	126. Uruguay
	127. USA
	128. Uzbekistan
	129. Venezuela
	130. Vietnam
	131. Yemen
	132. Yugoslavia
	133. Zambia
	134. Zimbabwe

Mines

Frank Cook: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from what sources mines retained for training purposes as permitted under the Ottawa Treaty have been procured; and to what purposes they have been put.

Adam Ingram: Mines retained for permitted purposes under the Ottawa Convention were kept from previous operational stocks and small numbers of different types have been procured from various sources. These have been declared in the United Kingdom's annual return to the Secretary-General of the United Nations in accordance with Article 7 of the Ottawa Convention.
	Retained mines have been used for training in mine detection, mine clearance and mine destruction techniques as permitted in Article 3 of the Ottawa Convention. Specific purposes include: training explosive and mine detection dogs; training military and civilian mine clearance personnel; making relevant training films, videos, and posters; testing and trials of mine clearance devices; and testing and trials of protective clothing and equipment.

Weapons (Private Contractors)

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether surplus or redundant (a) small arms and (b) light weapons are (i) given and (ii) sold by the Department to private contractors.

Adam Ingram: No surplus small arms or light weapons have been gifted to private contractors. No surplus small arms have been sold to private contractors in the last three years. Surplus light weapons would only be sold (via the Ministry of Defence's Disposal Services Agency) to the original equipment manufacturer in support of an export order.

WALES

Airports

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly regarding assistance for regional airports.

Peter Hain: I have regular discussions with the First Minister on many issues including the role of airports throughout Wales.

Economic Development (North Wales)

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly about economic development in North Wales.

Peter Hain: I have regular discussions with the Assembly's First Minister about economic development matters across Wales.

Higher Education

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales on widening participation in higher education, with particular reference to student funding.

Peter Hain: Regular ones, and with the Assembly Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning.

Higher Education

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he held with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales regarding tuition fees before the publication of the Government's White Paper on higher education.

Peter Hain: The First Minister and I have been in close contact about the future of student funding in Wales and will continue to work with the Secretary for State for Education and Skills over the coming months.

National Health Service

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales about the state of the national health service in Wales.

Don Touhig: I regularly meet the Assembly Minister for Health to discuss health matters in Wales.

Contaminated Land (Cynon Valley)

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has discussed (a) the contaminated Phurnacite land in the Cynon Valley with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales and (b) action to be taken in respect of the land.

Peter Hain: I have regular discussions with the First Minister. I am aware of my hon. Friend's concerns regarding this land and I am pleased to tell her that the Feasibility Task Group is meeting today to consider the specifications for 'treatability tests'.

Pay Equality

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues and the National Assembly for Wales on the pay gap between men and women in Wales.

Peter Hain: Regular ones. Closing the pay gap is a priority.

Agriculture

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary about the future of the agricultural industry in Wales.

Don Touhig: My right hon. Friend has regular meetings with the First Secretary and I meet the Assembly Agriculture Secretary and DEFRA Ministers to discuss a variety of issues, including the future of the agriculture industry in Wales.

Minimum Wage

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has held with ministerial colleagues about the impact of the national minimum wage in Wales.

Peter Hain: I have frequent contact with Ministerial colleagues and around 60,000 people stood to benefit from the introduction of the National Minimum Wage in Wales in April 1999 with around 80,000 people benefiting from the last major uprating in October 2001.

PRIME MINISTER

EU Regional Policy

Jim Cousins: To ask the Prime Minister which Minister is leading on the revision of EU regional policy post-2006; if he will place in the Library a statement on the Cabinet Committee arrangements to deal with this issue; and if he will make a statement of the Government's policy.

Tony Blair: The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry leads on EU Structural Funds. The Deputy Prime Minister is responsible for policy on the English regions, as well as central oversight of devolution. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is responsible for matters concerning the EC budget and the European Investment Bank. All three Ministers share responsibility for the PSA target on improving the economic performance of the English Regions.
	The European Policy (EP) Committee is the Cabinet committee responsible for the issue. Details on the composition of the Committee are in the Libraries of the House and are published on the Cabinet Office website.
	The Deputy Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry published a paper on 6 March entitled 'A Modern Regional Policy for the United Kingdom', which launched a joint consultation on the future of EU Structural Funds.

Iraq

Paul Flynn: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to publish amendments to his assessment in the document 'Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction' presented to the House in September 2002 arising from the evidence of UNMOVIC inspectors on Iraqi (a) bases, (b) presidential palaces and (c) uranium imports.

Tony Blair: I have no plans to publish an amended version of the dossier presented in September 2002, the contents of which still accurately reflect our assessment of the position with regard to Iraq's proscribed weapons programmes.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Prime Minister whether he has revised his assessment of the threat posed by Iraq to the UK, following the statement on 7 March by the Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency; if he will make a statement of the source for his assertion that Saddam Hussein has been trying to buy significant quantities of uranium from Africa; and what action he is taking to verify intelligence documents which he has relied upon in forming policy.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the debate on Iraq in the House on 18 March 2003, Official Report.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Prime Minister how many meetings his Department has had with representatives of each of the partners represented in the Northern Ireland Assembly since 1 October 2002.

Tony Blair: I and members of my office have had frequent meetings with political parties in Northern Ireland in recent months.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

HIV/AIDS (East Asia)

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department is having with the governments of (a) China, (b) Japan, (c) Indonesia, (d) Philippines, (e) Malaysia, (f) North Korea, (g) South Korea, (h) Cambodia, (i) Burma, (j) Laos and (k) Vietnam on the spread and control of HIV and AIDS; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: Without sustained action in Asia, HIV/AIDS will have significant social and economic costs. It is estimated that over seven million people in Asia are already infected with HIV, 20 per cent. of the global total. Although HIV came later to Asia, it has made substantial inroads in a short time.
	The epidemic in Asia varies dramatically between and within countries. Cambodia and Burma have significant national epidemics. Others are seeing concentrated epidemics in the most vulnerable populations, such as injecting drug users and sex workers. While prevalence is still low even among these groups in other countries, action now will prevent the pattern seen elsewhere of low prevalence for a number of years followed by rapid increases.
	The spread of HIV/AIDS in is an issue which is a top priority for DFID in the region. Relevant targets for HIV/AIDS have been included in our Public Service Agreement.
	In the countries in which DFID has a programme, HIV/AIDS is an issue that we continually raise in the context of policy discussions with governments about our development partnership. Our discussions cover a range of issues including priorities, targets and approaches. We have significant HIV/AIDS programmes in China, Cambodia, Burma and Vietnam. These are looking to strengthen national responses to HIV/AIDS through both targeted interventions for those groups most as risk, as well as improvements in the enabling environment for more effective action.
	DFID does not have programmes in Japan, the Phillipines, Malaysia, North Korea or South Korea. Although we do have some discussions with the governments of some of these countries in the context of global financing instruments such as the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria.

Iraq

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to address the shortcomings in preparedness for international relief in Iraq identified by the International Development Committee.

Clare Short: My Department has been fully engaged in recent months in trying to get the world to face the humanitarian risks of military action in Iraq, and make preparations. This work continues. We have provided £10 million to UN agencies and international NGOs to support their contingency planning. We are seconding specialist staff to the key offices which will have a key role in the coordination of any humanitarian effort (including UN OCHA and the UN Joint Logistics Centre, both in Cyprus; and the US's Office for Reconstruction in Humanitarian Affairs in Kuwait). And we are continuing to work towards establishing the right international mandates to enable the UN to take the lead role in relief and reconstruction, and to administer the Oil For Food Programme, in the event of conflict. I will provide a full written response to the recent report of the International Development committee in the next few days.

Ministerial Travel

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list internal flights made by Ministers in her Department in 2002, including in each case the (a) cost, (b) departure location and (c) destination; and of these how many were (i) first class, (ii) business class and (iii) economy class.

Clare Short: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Chelmsford west on 26 February 2003, Official Report, column 555W and the central answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office to David Laws on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 334W.

Refugee Camps (Pakistan)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the conditions of refugee camps in Pakistan.

Clare Short: UNHCR is running over 150 camps in Pakistan, housing approximately 1.5 million Afghan refugees. The camps provide health and education facilities, as well as basic shelter, water, sanitation and daily rations.
	Conditions are basic, but generally adequate. The camps are monitored by UNHCR and we receive periodic reports. Direct access to the camps is difficult, not least because of security considerations.
	We are aware of reports of higher than normal maternal mortality rates in the camps. Conditions for women and children are monitored by UNHCR Protection Officers, who have also dealt with cases of early and forced marriages, domestic violence and other problems faced by vulnerable refugees.

Scotland

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many times she has visited Scotland on official duties each year since 2000; and what meetings were held on each occasion.

Clare Short: I visited Scotland on official duties five times in 2000 and twice in 2002. I did not visit Scotland in 2001.
	In line with exemptions 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, it is not the normal practice of Governments to release details of specific meetings or their content, as some of these discussions may have taken place on a confidential basis.

Scotland

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many special advisers in the Department (a) have left and (b) will be leaving to work in Scotland for the Labour Party in the forthcoming Scottish parliamentary elections.

Clare Short: The rules relating to special advisers' political activities are set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers. Further guidance in respect of elections for the Scottish Parliament is set out at paragraph 13 of the Guidance on Conduct for Civil Servants in UK Departments, published by the Cabinet Office on 10 March.
	The reasons for a special adviser's resignation are a private matter between the department and adviser, and are therefore exempt from disclosure under paragraph 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Information.

Scotland

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans ministers of the Department have to (a) visit Scotland on official business, (b) announce public appointments and (c) make Ministerial announcements in April.

Clare Short: Departmental business during the campaign period preceding elections to the Scottish Parliament will be conducted in accordance with the Guidance on Conduct for Civil Servants in UK Departments in respect of elections to the Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales, published by the Cabinet Office on 10 March.

SCOTLAND

Community Pharmacies

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions she has had with the (a) Office of Fair Trading, (b) the Scottish Executive and (c) the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in relation to their recommendation that the control of entry regulations for community pharmacy should be lifted and its application to Scotland.

Anne McGuire: Since the Office of Fair Trading report was published, the Scottish Executive have been consulting key stakeholders in Scotland about the response to the report. The Scottish Executive have kept the Scotland Office informed about these consultations. Scotland Office officials have also participated in inter-departmental discussions on the report.

Departmental Telephone Directory

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the most recent internal phone directory for the Department was published; how often it is updated; and if she will place a copy in the Library.

Helen Liddell: A staff telephone directory is held electronically within the Department and it is updated regularly, as required. It is an internal document but key numbers are publicly available in publications such as the Civil Service Year Book.

Employers Liability Insurance

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with the Scottish Executive with regard to employers' liability insurance;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with the Department for Work and Pensions on its forthcoming report on employers' liability insurance.

Anne McGuire: The Scotland Office wrote to a number of organisations in Scotland to ensure that they were aware of the current review of employers' liability compulsory insurance. Both the Scotland Office and the Scottish Executive have received representations from the business community about this issue. We are ensuring that the Department for Work and Pensions are aware of the points made. DWP are keeping both the Scotland Office and the Scottish Executive closely informed about progress with the review. The Scotland Office is also a member of the Insurance Cover Working Group, set up by the Home Office, to consider issues facing the voluntary and community sector regarding insurance cover.

Friends of Scotland Website

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people have visited the Friends of Scotland website from (a) the UK and (b) outside the UK.

Helen Liddell: Since its launch in July 2002, the Friends of Scotland web-site has proved highly successful. As at end February, it recorded 1,760,685 hits. There were 41,221 visits to the site; 26,290 (63.8 per cent.) with international domain names and a further 5,956 visits where the origin cannot be identified.

Friends of Scotland Website

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the cost has been of (a) setting up and (b) maintaining the Friends of Scotland website.

Helen Liddell: The current Friends of Scotland website was established on 23 July 2002. The start up cost was £73,583 including VAT. The website is proving to be a major success and continues to evolve and develop. As at end February, the estimated cost of maintenance and further development of the site is £43,000.

Ministerial Travel

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times since 2001 she has taken flights on departmental duties in the UK; how many of these were (a) charter flights, (b) first or club class and (c) by helicopter; and who accompanied her on each trip.

Helen Liddell: I make regular flights between Scotland and London on departmental duties but information in the form requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Since 2001, I have accompanied my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister twice on non-commercial flights between London and Scotland. I have not used helicopters for travel within the United Kingdom.
	All travel was undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library.

Post Office Card Account

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the objective of Government policy in Scotland is to maximise take-up of post office card accounts; and if she will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The Government's policy is to ensure that customers can choose the type of account that best suits their needs following the move to direct payment of state benefits. The Post Office card account is one of three options which benefit claimants are being presented with. Regardless whether claimants use the card account, an existing bank account or open a basic bank account, they will still be able to uplift benefits in cash at post offices.

Departmental Officer

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what her estimate is of the cost to the Scotland Office of the offices occupied by its staff in (a) Edinburgh, (b) Glasgow and (c) Leith in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Liddell: The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999.
	The Department rents offices in Edinburgh and it shares accommodation in Glasgow and Leith with the Scottish Executive. The annual cost of occupying the offices was as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1999–2000 *438,000 
			 2000–01 721,000 
			 2001–02 683,000 
		
	
	* From 1 July 1999
	Note:
	These costs include, where appropriate, rental, rates, heat and power, security, cleaning, repairs, maintenance and water.

Service Delivery Agreement

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Scotland Office's service delivery agreement for 2003 to 2006 will be published.

Helen Liddell: The Scotland Office departmental report for 2003 will report on progress in relation to the 2002–03 Service Delivery Agreement. It will also provide key performance targets for 2003–04 but, given that the department does not have significant executive responsibilities, these will not constitute a Service Delivery Agreement as such.

Smoking

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what policy her Department has adopted on smoking in the workplace.

Helen Liddell: My Department discourages smoking in the workplace, due to its effects on health. Smoking is not, therefore, permitted at any time in buildings occupied by the Department, except in designated smoking areas. Such areas are made available, as a concession, only where it is practicable to do so.

Work Placements

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many university students her Department has supported or sponsored with a work placement in the last year; what her policy is on work placements; what plans she has to develop such schemes; and what her policy is on paying their university fees.

Helen Liddell: In the last year my Department has provided one university student work placement. We support the use of work placements and we shall look for opportunities to extend the scheme within the Department. My Department does not pay student university fees.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Advocate-General pursuant to her oral answer of 11March, Official Report, column 151W on the time limit for considering bills passed by the Scottish Parliament, what plans she has to consider the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill by 28 March.

Lynda Clark: Since my oral answer of 11 March Official Report, column 151, Stage 3 of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill took place on 12 March, and on that date the Bill was passed by the Scottish Parliament. The period of four weeks beginning with the passing of the Bill applies in terms of Section 33 of the Scotland Act 1998, and this is not affected by dissolution of the Scottish Parliament. As with all Bills, I will consider the provisions of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill during that period.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Local Authority Housing

Iain Coleman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many successful applications there have been in (a) London and (b) other metropolitan authorities to set up arms length management organisations in each of the past three years.

Tony McNulty: The following authorities have so far been allocated places on the Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) programme for improving the quality and management of local authority housing:
	Round 1
	London
	Hounslow
	Westminster
	Metropolitan
	Kirklees
	Rochdale
	Wigan
	Other
	Ashfield
	Derby
	Stockton-on-Tees
	Round 2
	London
	Brent
	Hillingdon
	Kensington and Chelsea
	Waltham Forest
	Metropolitan
	Barnsley
	Bolton
	Leeds
	Oldham
	Salford
	Other
	Blyth Valley
	Carrick
	Cheltenham
	Colchester
	All ALMOs in Round 1 have qualified for additional funding from 2002–03. Those in Round 2 have been offered additional funding from 2003–04 if they achieve at least a "good" rating from the Housing Inspectorate.

Brownfield Sites

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what mechanism exists to reclassify brown-field sites as green-field sites where the characteristics of a brown-field site are no longer present; and how much land has been thus reclassified since July 2001.

Tony McNulty: There are various definitions of a brown-field site. The National Land Use Database (NLUD) uses the definition of 'previously-developed land' (PDL) provided by planning policy guidance for housing (PPG3). The definition excludes land that was
	"previously-developed but where the remains of any structure or activity have blended into the landscape in the process of time (to the extent that it can reasonably be considered as part of the natural surroundings), and where there is a clear reason that could outweigh the re-use of the site—such as its contribution to nature conservation—or it has subsequently been put to an amenity use and cannot be regarded as requiring redevelopment."
	In updating NLUD-PDL records, local authorities should report changes to the status of a site (normally through redevelopment) but information of the type sought is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Fire Prevention

Charles Hendry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what Government funds have been allocated for fire prevention awareness in each of the past five years.

Nick Raynsford: Funds have been allocated to the office's expenditure on increasing public awareness of fire safety and measures to prevent fire as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			  
			  
			 1998–99 0.8 
			 1999–2000 2.9 
			 2000–01 4.9 
			 2001–02 5.9 
			 2002–03 8.25

Fire Service

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what (a) appeal system and (b) independent body is available to local people in the event of a proposal to close a fire station following the repeal of section 19 of the Fire Services Act 1947; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what measures the Government has in place to ensure effective local consultation following the repeal of section 19 of the Fire Services Act 1947 with respect to the fire service.

Nick Raynsford: A fire authority is under a general duty under Best Value legislation to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. This includes a requirement to consult locally about how to fulfil this duty. HM Fire Service Inspectorate will continue to monitor the performance of fire authorities in providing effective fire cover arrangements.
	Draft guidance to fire authorities on the need to consult local communities about significant changes in fire cover following the proposed repeal of part of section 19 was placed in the Libraries of both Houses on 5 March. This draft guidance is being circulated to a wide range of stakeholders for comments.

Key Workers

Philip Hammond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 12 March, Official Report, column 330W, whether his Department considers a supermarket checkout operator to be a key worker.

Tony McNulty: Support being provided by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for key worker housing will target key public sector workers, as set out in 'Sustainable Communities: building for the future'. This excludes supermarket checkout operators. Wider housing policies to increase the supply of affordable housing will benefit key workers outside the public sector.

Light Pollution

Helen Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to encourage the use of downward directed lighting to improve the visibility of the night sky.

Tony McNulty: The Government has issued "Lighting in the Countryside: Towards good practice" and guidance on good street lighting practice to encourage the use of lighting types which prevent or minimise unwanted upward illumination.

Planning

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what is the timetable of expenditure for the additional monies allocated to planning.

Tony McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister hopes to pay the allocations of planning delivery grant for 2003–04 to local authorities and national parks in early April and to the regional planning bodies in early May.

Planning

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the twin-funding of planning applications.

Tony McNulty: Planning services are funded from contributions by local taxpayers through council tax, precepts and levies, grant from central government (including the planning delivery grant), and fees paid by some applicants. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently undertaking a review of the fee regime which, among other things, is looking at the relative burdens on the contributors.

Planning

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with local authorities and the Local Government Association on the subject of third party right of appeal, with specific reference to local authorities granting their own permission and departures from the local plans.

Tony McNulty: None. The Government's position on third party rights of appeal was set out in the Planning Green Paper (published in December 2001). A wide range of bodies, including local authorities and the Local Government Association commented on the Green Paper.

Private Landlords

Lynne Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 12 February 2003, Official Report, column 840W, on private landlords, for what reasons he has not published the results of the consultation on selective licensing of private landlords in accordance with criterion 6 of Cabinet Office guidelines on written consultations; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The draft Housing Bill, to be published in the next few weeks, will make clear how the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister proposes to take forward the proposals contained in the consultation paper on the selective licensing of private landlords. The Bill will be subject to further consultation and parliamentary scrutiny and a summary of the responses to the earlier consultation will be published as part of the package accompanying the Bill.

Regional Governance

Philip Hammond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimates have been made by his Department as to the total cost of the soundings exercise on the level of interest in each English region in holding a referendum about establishing an elected regional assembly.

Nick Raynsford: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Gosport (Mr. Viggers) on 14 January 2003, Official Report, columns 601–602W.

Right to Buy

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to publish the research undertaken by Bristol and Birmingham universities into the impact of the February 1999 changes to limits on Right to Buy discounts.

Tony McNulty: It is expected that the research report will be published in early May 2003. A copy of the full report and summary of the research will be placed in the Library of the House at the time of publication.

Shared Ownership

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership (DIYSO) purchases were funded through (a) the Housing Corporation and (b) local authority social housing grant in each Government office region in each year since 1995–96; and how many DIYSO purchases were funded through (i) the Housing Corporation and (ii) local authority social housing grant in each local authority in London in each year since 1995–96.

Tony McNulty: The following tables show Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership (DIYSO) purchases each year since 1995–96, broken down by region and by London local authority.
	
		(a) ADP funded DIYSO purchases
		
			 Region 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 London 1,066 528 602 479 25 0 0 0 
			 South East 629 389 356 328 48 0 0 0 
			 South West 479 281 214 184 39 0 0 0 
			 East Midlands 310 147 151 142 28 0 0 0 
			 Eastern 332 224 221 143 14 0 0 0 
			 West Midlands 510 306 158 49 9 0 0 0 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 353 208 104 65 19 0 0 0 
			 North East 203 110 51 21 1 0 0 0 
			 North West 611 242 128 61 8 0 0 0 
			 England total 4,493 2,435 1,985 1,472 191 0 0 0 
		
	
	
		(b) LASHG funded DIYSO purchases
		
			 Region 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 London 27 15 16 7 9 13 9 10 
			 South East 273 193 217 161 188 250 238 201 
			 South West 4 4 0 7 6 22 16 6 
			 East Midlands 0 0 0 1 3 9 15 4 
			 Eastern 4 5 2 0 2 1 0 1 
			 West Midlands 1 13 17 16 18 16 22 17 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North East 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North West 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 England total 312 230 252 192 226 311 300 239 
		
	
	
		(a) and (b) DIYSO purchases by year since 1995–96, by London local authority
		
			  1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 
			  ADP LA SHG ADP LA SHG ADP LA SHG ADP LA SHG 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 11 6 11 7 10 8 10 2 
			 Barnet 36 0 15 0 20 0 35 0 
			 Bexley 16 0 11 0 6 0 6 0 
			 Brent 43 0 13 0 11 0 7 0 
			 Bromley 22 0 5 0 14 0 12 0 
			 Camden 49 0 33 0 60 0 31 0 
			 Croydon 12 0 4 0 5 0 0 0 
			 Ealing 60 0 29 0 16 0 16 0 
			 Enfield 35 0 13 0 14 0 13 0 
			 Greenwich 22 0 9 0 16 0 11 0 
			 Hackney 97 0 34 0 45 0 31 0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 43 0 45 0 40 0 14 0 
			 Haringey 69 0 15 0 17 0 26 0 
			 Harrow 20 0 4 0 8 0 0 0 
			 Havering 15 2 6 1 5 0 5 0 
			 Hillingdon 38 18 18 6 15 1 1 0 
			 Hounslow 42 1 30 0 20 0 10 0 
			 Islington 69 0 31 0 32 0 22 0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 28 0 20 0 23 7 32 2 
			 Kingston upon Thames 30 0 6 0 22 0 12 0 
			 Lambeth 25 0 26 0 22 0 11 0 
			 Lewisham 31 0 19 0 14 0 15 0 
			 Merton 18 0 9 0 8 0 5 0 
			 Newham 32 0 19 0 32 0 29 0 
			 Redbridge 16 0 5 0 14 0 19 0 
			 Richmond on Thames 16 0 9 0 10 0 7 3 
			 Southwark 16 0 22 0 13 0 14 0 
			 Sutton 20 0 7 0 11 0 5 0 
			 Tower Hamlets 35 0 29 0 14 0 12 0 
			 Waltham Forest 23 0 7 0 28 0 20 0 
			 Wandsworth 42 0 15 0 22 0 31 0 
			 Westminster 21 0 9 0 15 0 17 0 
			 Out of London(3) 14 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 
			  1,066 27 528 15 602 16 479 7 
		
	
	
		
			1999–2000  2000–01  2001–02  2002–03 
			  ADP LA SHG ADP(4) LA SHG ADP(4) LA SHG ADP(4) LA SHG 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 0 1  0  0  0 
			 Barnet 1 0  0  0  0 
			 Bexley 2 0  0  0  0 
			 Brent 0 0  0  0  0 
			 Bromley 0 5  4  4  2 
			 Camden 0 0  0  0  0 
			 Croydon 0 0  0  0  0 
			 Ealing 1 0  0  0  2 
			 Enfield 0 0  0  0  0 
			 Greenwich 1 0  0  0  0 
			 Hackney 3 0  0  0  0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 0 0  0  0  0 
			 Haringey 0 0  0  0  0 
			 Harrow 0 0  0  0  0 
			 Havering 0 0  0  0  0 
			 Hillingdon 0 0  0  0  0 
			 Hounslow 0 0  0  0  0 
			 Islington 2 0  0  0  0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 0 0  0  0  0 
			 Kingston upon Thames 4 0  0  0  0 
			 Lambeth 1 0  0  0  0 
			 Lewisham 5 0  0  0  0 
			 Merton 0 3  1  0  0 
			 Newham 0 0  0  0  0 
			 Redbridge 0 0  0  0  0 
			 Richmond on Thames 0 0  0  5  6 
			 Southwark 1 0  0  0  0 
			 Sutton 0 0  0  0  0 
			 Tower Hamlets 0 0  0  0  0 
			 Waltham Forest 0 0  8  0  0 
			 Wandsworth 3 0  0  0  0 
			 Westminster 1 0  0  0  0 
			 Out of London(3) 0 0  0  0  0 
			  25 9 0 13 0 9 0 10 
		
	
	(3) Figures prior to 1997–98 were recorded by sponsor region and by purchase LA location; they are now recorded by sponsor LA location. On this table those before 1997–98 are by purchase location, though funded by London HAs/LAs; those after 1997–98 are by sponsor location.
	(4) From 1999–2000, HC ADP was not used to fund DIYSO purchases.

Thames Gateway

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new homes need to be built in the Thames Gateway London area to meet his targets as set out in his Sustainable Communities Plan.

Tony McNulty: The draft Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London indicates that at least 46,000 new homes can be built by 2016 in the London Gateway development areas.

Thames Gateway

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whom he has consulted in determining the best approach for the development of the Thames Gateway London area and for setting up as an East London urban development corporation.

Tony McNulty: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister and his Ministers met on a regular basis with the members of the Thames Gateway Strategic Partnership to discuss delivery arrangements for Thames Gateway. He has also visited Thames Gateway and discussed delivery issues with local stakeholders.

NORTHERN IRELAND

"Get Home Safe" Campaign

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many alcohol-related incidents the Police Service of Northern Ireland dealt with in South Belfast in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002; and what impact the "Get Home Safe" Campaign has had.

Jane Kennedy: The statistics requested are not available as the PSNI does not maintain crime statistics on an alcohol related basis.
	The "Get Home Safe" campaign has had a number of significant impacts namely:
	The number of assaults was 535 compared to 654 for the same period in 2001—a decrease of 19.2 per cent.
	The number of serious assaults was 158 compared to 236 for the same period in 2001—a decrease of 33 per cent.
	Alcohol consumption was an element in 75 per cent. of all reported assaults
	87 per cent. of the target group for the advertising campaign recalled some aspect of the campaign
	40 per cent. of the target group claimed they had changed their behaviour arising from the campaign
	Sexual assaults were reduced by 40 per cent.
	Three new CCTV cameras provided by private sector funding
	Almost 200 per cent. rise in the number of people reported for prosecution for disorderly behaviour (rather than a caution )
	All illegal street traders removed, leading to significant reduction in disorderly incidents.

Banbridge Academy

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reason the proposal contained in the Contenders List for the Schools Capital Building Programme to provide an extension and refurbishment to Banbridge Academy was unsuccessful; and what criteria were used to make this decision.

Jane Kennedy: The schools' capital programme is determined on the basis of the highest educational need within the resources available. A scheme to extend and refurbish Banbridge Academy was one of 46 high priority schemes that met the criteria to compete for funding in this year's programme. However, as there were insufficient resources for all the competing schools, funding was allocated on the basis of priority of educational need. Banbridge Academy was one of the schools that did not succeed this time round. The criteria used to prioritise educational need (in order of weight) takes account of the suitability for teaching and learning, the condition of the school and the number of temporary classrooms.

Courthouse Closures

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the Lord Chancellor's Department about (a) the proposed closure of courthouses in Northern Ireland and (b) the timetable for such closures.

Des Browne: The management of the courts estate is the responsibility of the Lord Chancellor. During the past couple of years there have been a number of informal discussions between NIO Ministers and Ministers from the Lord Chancellor's Department on the issue of courthouse closures in Northern Ireland as part of normal business of keeping each other informed of developments.

Crime (South Belfast)

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland regarding increasing resources to tackle crime in South Belfast.

Jane Kennedy: The Secretary of State has been advised by the PSNI that they are currently reviewing resource levels in every District Command Unit. The findings of the review will be advised to Chief Officers and District Commanders in the near future.

Crime (South Belfast)

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to boost public confidence in safety from crime in South Belfast.

Jane Kennedy: The police in South Belfast plan the use of their resources to meet local community needs with a large percentage of personnel being exclusively dedicated to community policing. Crime Prevention and Community Safety Officers are responsible for the development and co-ordination of crime reduction strategies and crime prevention advice and guidance to vulnerable groups and those residing and working within crime "Hotspot" areas. Specific examples of a range of steps being taken to boost public confidence in safety from crime include:
	the development of a Student/University/Resident Forum to address youth crime anti social behaviour and student related disorder.
	The Get Home Safe Campaign, a project with a range of initiatives including: a door registration scheme involving the Federation of the Retail Licensed Trade, strict enforcement of drinking byelaws, the introduction of a radio link to improve communications between 37 licensed premises and the PSNI and three new CCTV provided by the private sector.
	The promotion of Crimestoppers
	15,000 leaflet drop to students living in South Belfast outlining crime prevention measures.

Early Release Scheme

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners have been released under the early release scheme since 10 April 1998; to which paramilitary groups they were affiliated; how many have been recalled due to further criminal activity; and how many would still be in prison today if the early release scheme was not in operation.

Jane Kennedy: Since the introduction of the early release scheme in April 1998, 447 prisoners have been released under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 ("the Act"). 156 were life sentence prisoners and 291 were determinate sentence prisoners.
	The following table sets out details of the perceived paramilitary association of the 447 individuals released. Information is held, for management purposes, in relation to the perceived paramilitary association of prisoners in Northern Ireland.
	At 10 March 2003, seven of the 447 persons released under the terms of the Act had been recalled to prison due to their involvement in further criminal activity during their licence period.
	Of the 291 determinate sentence prisoners released under the Act, 54 (19 per cent.) had sentences which would not yet have expired and would still be in custody at this stage. It is not possible to provide an equivalent figure for the 156 life sentence prisoners. Unlike determinate sentence prisoners, there is no specific discharge date, each case being reviewed individually. All released lifers were subject to risk assessment as a requirement of the Act and remain on licence for life.
	
		Breakdown of releases by perceived affiliation
		
			 Perceived affiliation Total 
		
		
			 PIRA 206 
			 UDA 87 
			 UVF 67 
			 INLA 32 
			 LVF 17 
			 UFF 14 
			 RHC 3 
			 'Loyalist' 6 
			 'Republican' 3 
			 No affiliation 12 
			 Grand total 447

Education Funding

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding has been allocated to (a) each education board, (b) the statutory nursery school sector of each education board and (c) the private or voluntary playschool sector of each education board to provide PEAGS places in each of the past five years.

Jane Kennedy: Each Education and Library Board receives for its Pre-school Education Advisory Group (PEAG) a capital allocation for the PEAG's building programme of nursery schools and units, and a single recurrent allocation from which PEAGs must meet:
	the running costs of those nursery schools and units for a period between their opening and their being absorbed into the main schools budget; and
	the costs of funding places in the voluntary and private sector.
	Included in the recurrent allocations is an amount to assist the Boards with administrative and publicity costs. Recurrent funding for nursery schools and units after being absorbed into the main schools budget and for nursery schools and units pre-existing the Pre-School Education Expansion Programme, is allocated through LMS, and not to PEAGs.
	The allocations to the Boards for the last five financial years are as follows. Separate allocations are not made in respect of the voluntary and private sectors.
	
		All figures £000
		
			 Board 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Belfast  
			 Statutory capital allocation 0 0 401 133 19 
			 Total recurrent allocation 230 561 836 756 853 
			   
			 Western  
			 Statutory capital allocation 0 40 1,377 1,436 1,012 
			 Total recurrent allocation 406 1,049 1,524 1,566 1,779 
			  
			 North eastern 
			 Statutory capital allocation 81 64 1,344 700 379 
			 Total recurrent allocation 381 1,176 1,917 2,141 2,163 
			   
			 South eastern 
			 Statutory capital allocation 202 312 591 681 660 
			 Total recurrent allocation 243 840 1,463 1,920 1,822 
			   
			 Southern  
			 Statutory capital allocation 0 65 770 1,238 1,298 
			 Total recurrent allocation 384 811 1,393 1,889 2,058

Education Funding

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reason the places per ward criterion used to calculate the funding for PEAGS places has not been used for calculating places for 2003–04.

Jane Kennedy: The Department of Education does not allocate funding to Pre-School Education Advisory Groups (PEAGs) using a places per ward criterion, but rather on the basis of annual plans for their areas produced by the PEAGs and approved by the Department. While in any given case PEAGs will look at the level of provision at individual ward level, they should also take into account the situation in neighbouring wards, so as to avoid over as well as under-provision.

Education Funding

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will undertake to provide funding of PEAGS places for the Playgroup at Londonderry Primary School in Newtownards.

Jane Kennedy: I am satisfied that the present number of pre-school places in Newtownards funded by the South Eastern Board's Pre-school Education Advisory Group is sufficient to satisfy the demand from children in their final pre-school year. I am therefore unable to give the undertaking requested.

Giant's Causeway

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made in establishing a world class visitor centre at the Giant's Causeway in County Antrim.

Ian Pearson: I have met with the key players involved in establishing a world class visitors centre at the Giants Causeway and a further round of follow-up meetings with officials in my Department has also been concluded.
	Efforts are now being made to exploit the common ground that has emerged from these discussions. While both myself and my colleague the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure are finalising our thoughts on a way forward, it should be stressed that progress will be achieved only if the relevant parties work together and with Government to ensure that a world class solution is achieved.

IT Contracts

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list IT contracts in his Department above £50 million in each of the last 10 years; what the inception date for each system was; when it became fully functional; when it became fully debugged; and what the cost of over-runs has been.

Paul Murphy: The Northern Ireland Office, during the last 10 years have not awarded any IT contracts above £50 million.
	The Northern Ireland Administration, during the last 10 years, have not awarded any IT contracts above £50 million.

Job Sharing

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the extent of job sharing in his Department.

Paul Murphy: In the Northern Ireland Office 34 out of 1,596 full-time equivalent staff job share.
	Job sharing is only one of a number of alternative and flexible working patterns that employees are welcome to take up. There are also, for example, 142 who work part-time.
	In the Northern Ireland Administration 276 out of the 26,300 permanent staff employed job share.
	Job sharing is only one of a number of work-life balance options available to employees. Over 2,500 work part-time hours. Flexible working hours and alternative working patterns also operate.
	As a major employer, the Northern Ireland Civil Service has for many years recognised the benefits that both individuals and the organisation can realise by enabling employees to have a flexible approach to their working day.

Ministerial Travel

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department was in 2002.

Jane Kennedy: The cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers, and (b) taxis for the Northern Ireland Office for the 2001–02 financial year was:
	(a) Ministerial cars and drivers: £361,083.83
	(b) Taxis for the Department: £18,007.60

Ministerial Travel

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the overseas trips made by himself and other members of his ministerial team in 2002; and what the (a) purpose and (b) cost was in each case.

Paul Murphy: The information for 2002–03 will be published as soon as possible after the end of the financial year.

Peace II

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding is available to each Northern Ireland Department in respect of Peace II; how much has been (a) distributed and (b) committed; for how much applications have been received but funding has not yet been committed; how much remains for which the process has not yet begun; and how much the Department will be unable to process before the deadline.

Ian Pearson: Northern Ireland Departments are Implementing Bodies for some £152 million of the Peace II Programme. The information requested for this expenditure is set out in the following table. All Departments have indicated that the full amounts will be committed before the 31 December 2004 deadline.
	
		£ million
		
			  (A) Funding available (B) Distributed (spent) (C) Committed (D) Pending (E) Amount remaining(A-(C+D)) 
		
		
			 DARD 37.889 0.289 6.048 7.131 24.709 
			 DE 1.720 0 0 1.028 0.692 
			 DEL 9.348 0.377 4.825 — 4.523 
			 DETI 62.164 5.342 37.592 17.429 7.143 
			 DCAL 4.800 0 0 2.750 2.050 
			 DSD 16.900 0 2.000 2.600 12.300 
			 OFMDFM 6.517 0.084 4.062 13.375 0 
			 DRD 7.091 1.726 5.902 0 1.189

Police Service

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of each category of (a) officers and (b) staff left the Police Service in each of the past three years, broken down by perceived community origin and sex.

Jane Kennedy: The number of police officers who have left the Police Service in the past three years, broken down into perceived community origin and gender, are shown in the following table. Data are also included in respect of civilian staff directly recruited into the police service but are only available for the past two years. Data for civilian staff do not include details of those staff currently or previously attached to the police service on secondment from the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
	
		
			 Year CB1 Percentage CB1 CB2 Percentage CB2 CB3 Percentage CB3 Male Percentage male Female Percentage female Total 
		
		
			  (a) Police officers 
			 2000 414 91 27 6 14 3 395 87 60 13 455 
			 2001 1,418 88 144 9 41 3 1,502 94 101 6 1,603  
			 2002 832 88 81 8 37 4 863 91 87 9 950 
			 
			  (b) Civilian staff 
			 2001 87 66 22 17 22 17 57 44 74 56 131 
			 2002 109 72 28 19 13 9 61 41 89 59 150 
		
	
	CB1—Perceived Protestant
	CB2—Perceived Roman Catholic
	CB3—Not determined

Police Service

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) women and (b) members of the ethnic minorities have been recruited by the Police Service of Northern Ireland since the coming into operation of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000.

Des Browne: Since 4 November 2001, 196 women have been appointed to the Police Service, a figure which represents 32 per cent. of the total number of 613 recruits.
	Only one member of an ethnic minority has been appointed since that time.

Police Service

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people claiming links to (a) the UUP, (b) the SDLP, (c) the DUP, (d) Sinn Fein, (e) the Alliance Party, (f) the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition, (g) the PUP, (h) the UKUP and (i) other political groupings or independent political candidates (i) applied to sit on a District Police Partnership (DPP), (ii) were judged appointable to a DPP and (iii) were appointed to a DPP.

Jane Kennedy: All candidates for appointment as independent members of District Policing Partnerships were asked a political activity monitoring question, in line with the guide to public appointments. The information was not made available to the council or Policing Board panels. The Board panels considered anonymised lists of appointable candidates. The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Party Applicants Appointable candidates Appointments 
		
		
			 UUP 113 64 4 
			 SDLP 44 30 15 
			 DUP 38 18 3 
			 Sinn Fein 1 0 0 
			 Alliance 24 17 7 
			 NIWC 14 10 6 
			 PUP 16 10 1 
			 UKUP 7 5 0 
			 Other: British Labour 1 1 1 
			 Other: Conservative 4 0 0 
			 Other: Democratic Left 1 1 1 
			 Other: Independent 19 15 2 
			 Other: Independent Unionist 3 2 0 
			 Other: Labour Coalition 1 1 1 
			 Other: Labour NI 3 1 0 
			 Other: New Labour 1 0 0 
			 Other: National Labour 1 0 0 
			 Other: Unionist, not specified 2 0 0 
			 Other: OUP 2 1 0 
			 Other: Socialist Party 1 0 0 
			 Other: UDP 4 2 2 
			 Other: Ulster Independent Voice 1 0 0 
			 Other: Ulster Unionist Assembly Party 1 1 1 
			 Other: Ulster Unionist Council 2 2 0 
			 Other: Workers Party 4 3 2 
			 Other: Yes Campaign 1 1 0 
			 Other: Ratepayers Association 2 2 2

Pre-School Provision

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many PEAGS places have been allocated to each nursery and playschool in the South Eastern Education and Library Board in each of the past five years.

Jane Kennedy: The South Eastern Education and Library Board's Pre-School Education Advisory Group (PEAG) has allocated places to providers in the voluntary and private sectors since the start of the Pre-School Education Expansion Programme as follows:
	
		
			  1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Annahilt Pre-School Playgroup - - - 18 18 
			 Ardglass Community Playgroup 6 8 10 16 16 
			 Ballybeen Women's Centre Playgroup, Dundonald 9 9 10 10 10 
			 Ballycrochan Playgroup, Gangor 6 6 10 20 21 
			 Ballygowan Community Playgroup 6 10 24 24 24 
			 Ballyholme Presbyterian Church Playgroup, Bangor - 13 11 19 20 
			 Ballykinler Community Playgroup - - 10 24 18 
			 Ballymacward Pre-School Playgroup, Lisburn 13 15 15 15 15 
			 Ballymote Children's Centre, Downpatrick - - 13 Withdrawn - 
			 Ballywalter Playgroup - - - 12 13 
			 Bangor Abbey Playgroup - - - 13 13 
			 Bangor West Nursery Group 5 10 19 21 18 
			 Bees Nees Early Years Centre, Newtownards - - - 16 18 
			 Bo-Peep Corner Playgroup, Bangor 5 8 15 20 18 
			 Bumbles Playgroup, Dundonald 10 10 20 20 20 
			 Carrowdore Community Playgroup - - 10 20 22 
			 Carryduff Pre-School Playgroup 8 26 20 34 45 
			 Castle Playgoup, Lisburn 9 11 18 10 Withdrawn 
			 Castlewellan Community Playgroup - - - 18 10 
			 Cedar Children's Centre, Crossgar 5 10 21 Changed to statutory nursery unit 
			 Chatterbox Playgroup, Lisburn 7 9 10 24 18 
			 Chirpy Chicks Playgroup, Greyabbey - 9 10 18 18 
			 Chuckles Playgroup, Newtownards 5 7 10 15 15 
			 Cregagh Pre-School Playgroup, Belfast 6 15 15 16 16 
			 Crossgar Community Playgroup 5 10 17 18 18 
			 Dromara Playgroup 11 13 20 26 32 
			 Dramaness PS Playgroup - - - 18 13 
			 Drumaroad Cross Community Playgroup 9 10 10 12 15 
			 Drumbeg Playgroup - - - - 8 
			 Dundrum Cross Community Playgroup - 13 16 20 12 
			 Dunmarry Community Playgroup - - 24 24 24 
			 Early Days Playgroup, Bangor 5 5 22 24 22 
			 Glencraig Playgroup, Craigavad 6 12 20 18 17 
			 Glenmore Community Playgroup, Lisburn 8 11 12 Withdrawn - 
			 Grove Community Playgroup, Lisburn 5 5 10 10 Withdrawn 
			 Happy Hours Playgroup, Bangor - 9 11 Withdrawn - 
			 Hickory Dickory Dock, Castlewellan - 5 10 9 9 
			 Kilcoo Playgroup - - - 12 18 
			 Killough Playgroup - - 10 16 16 
			 Killyleagh Community Playgroup - - 10 18 18 
			 Kilmood Playgroup, Killinchy - - 11 23 24 
			 Kinders Day Care, Dunmurry - - 28 26 Withdrawn 
			 Kircubbin Pre-School Playgroup - - - 26 32 
			 Legacurry Playgroup, Lisburn - - - 14 17 
			 Little Acorn's Playgroup, Bangor 6 15 14 32 26 
			 Little Doves Community Playgroup, Newtownards - - - 14 15 
			 Little Flower Playgroup, Bangor 8 13 11 15 12 
			 Little Oaks Playgroup, Lisburn 8 14 15 24 18 
			 Little Owls Playgroup, Conlig 8 9 10 15 Withdrawn 
			 Little Sunbeams Playgroup, Saintfield - - - 12 16 
			 Loughinisland Playgroup, Downpatrick - 14 14 20 19 
			 Community Playgroup, Dunmurry - - - - 12 
			 Mount Oriel Playgoup, Belfast Mickey Mouse 18 18 24 23 18 
			 Movilla Abbey Playgroup, Newtownards 5 8 12 24 26 
			 Nailery Creche, Crossgar 3 Withdrawn - - - 
			 Naiscoil Dhun Padraig - - 10 16 16 
			 Naiscoil Uac Tar Tire, Castlewellan - 7 20 10 10 
			 Newcastle Pre-School Playgroup 9 14 10 24 18 
			 Oakwood Pre-School Playgroup, Dunmurry - - - 13 21 
			 Paddington Corner, Bangor 5 15 13 15 13 
			 Play-away Childcare Centre, Newtownards - - - 14 16 
			 Poppins Day Nursery, Moira - - 10 16 16 
			 Portaferry Playgroup 10 12 10 20 18 
			 Rainbow Corner Playgroup, Moira - - - 15 15 
			 Rathkeltair Cross Playgroup, Downpatrick - 16 16 18 16 
			 Redburn Playgroup, Holywood - - 10 20 18 
			 Roisin Ban, Dunmurry 7 Withdrawn - - - 
			 Rumble's Playgroup, Lisburn 14 24 19 24 16 
			 Saintfield Playgroup - - 10 Withdrawn - 
			 Saul Cross Community Playgroup, Downpatrick - - - 12 12 
			 Scallywags Playgroup, Newtownards - 13 20 15 18 
			 Scoil Na Fuiseoige, Twinbrook 12 12 12 24 18 
			 St. Bernard's Playgroup, Belfast - - 15 21 10 
			 St. Comgall's Playgroup, Bangor 5 7 10 10 10 
			 St. Finian's Playgroup, Newtownards - - - 17 18 
			 St. Joseph's Playgroup, Carryduff - - - 10 10 
			 St. Joseph's Playgroup, Crossgar - 7 15 24 18 
			 St. Mark's Playgroup, Twinbrook - 13 Withdrawn - - 
			 Strangford and District Playgroup, Downpatrick - 11 11 11 Excluded 
			 Sunshine Playgroup, Lisburn - - 20 18 18 
			 Teconnaught Playgroup, Crossgar 5 16 16 18 18 
			 The Shell Playgroup, Comber - - - 18 10 
			 The Old Schoolhouse Nursery, Hillsborough 7 Withdrawn - - - 
			 The Playcentre at Manor Court, Newtownards 14 15 15 18 26 
			 Tiddliwinks Playgroup, Bangor - 14 11 23 20 
			 Tiny Toons Playgroup, Downpatrick 6 10 18 18 12 
			 Toddle-in Playgroup, Moneyreagh - - 15 17 22

Sex Education

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the advice issued by the Department of Education on the teaching of sex education in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: Following a major consultation exercise with interested parties and organisations conducted by the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment, on 24 August 2001 the Department of Education issued to all schools a circular on Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE), together with comprehensive teacher guidance material, intended to help schools develop their own policy on RSE and provide a programme of RSE appropriate to the needs and maturity of their pupils.

Sickness Absence

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in his Department and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990–91 to 2002–03; what the target set is for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Murphy: In the Northern Ireland Office unauthorised absence is recorded as unpaid leave and is associated with other properly authorised unpaid absence and cannot be disaggregated.
	Sick absence figures are recorded by financial year for Northern Ireland Civil Servants (NIGS) and by calendar year for Home Civil Service (HCS) staff.
	The available information is as follows:
	
		Northern Ireland Civil Servants
		
			  Days sick absence per staff year 
			  2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Core Department (including Compensation Agency and Forensic Science Agency) 12.8 13.4 
			 Northern Ireland Prison Service—(non- uniformed grades) 11.9 15.4 
		
	
	Two NICS staff are on secondment to NIO NDPBs and no sick absence was reported.
	The Northern Ireland Departments have set composite targets for a reduction in sick absence from 15.1 days in 2000–01 to 13.9 days by the end of 2002–03 and 13.0 days by the end of 2004–05. The NIO aims to achieve similar reductions in respect of NICS staff in the Department.
	
		Home Civil Servants
		
			 Year Days sick absence per staff year 
		
		
			 1998 6.5 
			 1999 8.0 
			 2000 9.3 
			 2001 10.0 
		
	
	The figures for 2002 will be available shortly.
	All Whitehall Departments were required in 1999 to reduce sickness absence by 20 per cent. by 2001 and by 30 per cent. by 2003. For the Northern Ireland Office (HCS staff) this was measured against the 1998 baseline of 6.5 days.
	A range of initiatives has been implemented to assist in reducing sickness absence rates for both staff groups. These include raising awareness of stress management, a departmental health awareness programme, development of a departmental action plan to deliver workplace health improvement, provision of family friendly policies and fair application of inefficiency procedures.
	In addition the Department plans to delegate responsibility for attendance management to line managers later this year and it is hoped that greater involvement at line management level will have a positive impact on the rate of sick absence.
	In the Northern Ireland Administration unauthorised absence is recorded as unpaid leave and is associated with other properly authorised unpaid absence and cannot be disaggregated.
	The information sought is only readily available for non-industrial civil servants for the period 1999–2000 to 2001–02. Comparable figures for industrial civil servants, agencies and non-departmental public bodies are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The following table reflects the average number of working days lost for the financial years 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02 for each of the Northern Ireland Departments. Published statistics for 2000–01 and 2001–02 for Northern Ireland Departments are accessible www.dfpni.gov.uk/publications.
	
		Number of days lost per staff year
		
			 Department 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 DEL 16.5 17.9 19.0 
			 DSD 18.5 18.6 18.4 
			 DCAL 12.7 14.7 14.6 
			 DHSSPS 14.1 12.9 14.6 
			 DOE 14.6 14.6 14.1 
			 DFP 11.3 12.8 13.5 
			 DE 13.7 15.7 13.2 
			 DETI 13.2 12.4 13.0 
			 DARD 13.8 12.2 11.8 
			 OFMDFM 10.4 9.7 11.6 
			 DRD 11.4 12.2 11.4 
			 Overall 15.3 15.1 15.1 
		
	
	Due to the reorganisation of Departments following devolution, the 1999–2000 absence details were analysed according to the Department in which staff were employed at the end of the 1999–2000 financial year. The departmental figures incorporate those for their respective Agencies.
	Northern Ireland Departments have now set individual business driven targets for reduction. When brought together they constitute composite targets for a reduction from a sick absence rate of 15.1 days in 2000–01 to 13.9 days by the end of 2002–03 and 13.0 days by the end of 2004–05.
	The most recent report for 2001–02 identifies an improvement in sick absence levels in a number of Departments but the overall absence level for NI Departments has not changed. While it is recognised that the last two to three years have been a period of major change and upheaval for NI Departments nonetheless the current levels of sick absence continue to be a cause for major concern.
	A range of corporate and departmental initiatives has been and is being taken forward to reduce the current levels of sickness absence. These include a major work force health survey; the introduction of an awareness leaflet for GPs on the support and early return mechanisms available to NICS staff; appointment of two "site" based occupational health nurses on a pilot basis; approval to recruit a psychiatric nurse; and websites on "Attendance Matters" and "Health Matters" to assist NICS managers and staff.

Small Businesses

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many small businesses have gone out of business in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997.

Ian Pearson: The number of insolvency orders (bankruptcy and compulsory winding up) made against individuals and small businesses in each of the last six financial years is as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Number of insolvency orders 
		
		
			 1996–97 411 
			 1997–98 432 
			 1998–99 421 
			 1999–2000 393 
			 2000–01 338 
			 2001–02 265

Social Housing

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many social housing tenancies will not be varied before the end of March 2003; and whether the tenancies in Northern Ireland will be financially protected as a result of this new measure.

Des Browne: As at 10 March 2003, of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's (NIHE) currently occupied stock of 103,353 tenancies and the Housing Association's combined stock of 20, 000, only 887 tenants have been required to or are pending a completion of a Deed of Variation to their current tenancy agreement. This variation is required to enable "Support" to be paid a Transitional Housing Benefit.
	The Department for Social Development has advised the NIHE that in line with practice across the UK, it will honour the total amount of valid Transitional Housing Benefit claims received at 31 March 2003.

Supporting People Project

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the funds allocated for the Supporting People Project throughout the United Kingdom will be given to Northern Ireland; and whether the funding is in line with the Barnett Formula.

Ian Pearson: In Northern Ireland funding for supporting people will, in common with the other parts of the United Kingdom, be based upon actual requirements for the three-year period commencing 1 April 2003, rather than upon the Barnett Formula. The Department of Finance and Personnel, in consultation with the Department for Social Development, is currently in negotiations with HM Treasury to agree the allocations.

Supporting People Project

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been identified by the health and social services trusts for transitional housing benefit through the Supporting People Project; and of those identified for benefit, how many will receive it.

Des Browne: A total of 887 people have been identified. All those who apply with valid transitional Housing Benefit claims received before 31 March 2003, will be paid.

Unemployment

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the current trends in (a) long-term and (b) youth unemployment in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: Latest estimates from the autumn 2002 Labour Force Survey (LFS) indicate that there were 18,000 persons long-term unemployed representing 41 per cent. of the total number of unemployed persons. The total long-term unemployed over the past five years has decreased by just over 40 per cent. from 31,000 in autumn 1997 to 18,000 in autumn 2002.
	The youth unemployment latest estimates indicate that there were 13,000 persons aged 18–24 who were unemployed, with an associated unemployment rate of 12.0 per cent. Over the five-year period from autumn 1997 youth unemployment has decreased from 18,000 to 13,000 in autumn 2002.

Urban Renewal

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been allocated for (a) housing improvements and (b) urban renewal areas in each Belfast constituency in each year since 1999.

Des Browne: The information is not available in the format requested. However, the following table gives the information by Northern Ireland Housing Executive district.
	
		£000
		
			 Year District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6 District 7 Total 
		
		
			 (a) Housing improvements 
			 Capital: 
			 1999–2000 1,779 2,157 1,852 2,658 1,469 1,383 1,922 13,220 
			 2000–01 1,204 1,372 505 2,792 528 994 1,395 8,790 
			 2001–02 1,725 1,618 1,250 1,173 790 798 938 8,292 
			 2002–03(5) 1,644 1,518 1,206 1,816 826 1,204 2,901 11,115 
			 Total 6,352 6,665 4,813 8,439 3,613 4,379 7,156 41,417 
			  
			 Maintenance: 
			 1999–2000 3,590 4,194 4,644 4,682 5,787 4,840 6,215 33,952 
			 2000–01 3,041 6,609 4,116 3,788 4,893 4,671 5,811 32,929 
			 2001–02 3,246 4,774 3,423 6,555 3,365 4,269 4,979 30,611 
			 2002–03(5) 3,300 5,265 3,915 4,418 4,434 4,866 4,375 30,573 
			 Total 13,177 20,842 16,098 19,443 18,479 18,646 21,380 128,065 
			  
			 Grants 
			 1999–2000 514 1,853 761 1,008 294 878 3,638 8,946 
			 2000–01 839 2,180 1,083 925 520 1,365 3,860 10,772 
			 2001–02 652 2,083 1,130 886 280 987 4,210 10,228 
			 2002–03(5) 982 1,791 821 561 324 1,662 3,496 9,637 
			 Total 2,987 7,907 3,795 3,380 1,418 4,892 15,204 39,583 
			 Grand total 22,516 35,414 24,706 31,262 23,510 27,917 43,740 209,065 
			  
			 (b) Urban renewal 
			 Newbuild: 
			 1999–2000 114 10 596 2,100 106 95 29 3,050 
			 2001–01 73 283 301 414 131 89 99 1,390 
			 2001–02 73 174 96 70 356 175 21 965 
			 2002–03(5) 28 135 30 81 236 51 14 575 
			 Total 288 602 1,023 2,665 829 410 163 5,980 
			  
			 Land and property spend: 
			 1999–2000 1 3,789 678 843 1,893 2,690 227 10,121 
			 2000–01 5 4,548 390 3,393 6,613 1,351 42 16,342 
			 2001–02 3 9,249 132 796 4,471 1,856 1,059 17,566 
			 2002–03(5) 0 2,737 45 2,182 1,915 1,834 351 9,064 
			 Total 9 20,323 1,245 7,214 14,892 7,731 1,679 53,093 
			 Grand total 297 20,925 2,268 9,879 15,721 8,141 1,842 59,073 
		
	
	(5) To 12 March 2003

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum Seekers

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a list of (a) private sector providers of places for asylum seekers as at 31 December 2002, (b) the number of places with each provider, (c) the number of places in each parliamentary constituency and (d) the number of places from each provider in each parliamentary constituency.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 18 March 2003
	The information is not available in the precise format requested. The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) has entered into contracts with the private and public sector to provide accommodation for asylum seekers who are .being dispersed. The private sector companies with whom NASS has entered into such contracts are as follows: Adelphi Hotels; Angel Group; Accommodata Ltd; Capital Accommodation Ltd; Clearsprings; Landmark; Leena Homes and Roselodge.
	Details of individual contracts between NASS and its accommodation providers are confidential and I am unable to provide information on the number of bedspaces provided by each provider. NASS records of dispersal accommodation do not show the parliamentary constituency in which they are located.

Asylum Seekers

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer of 5 March 2003, Official Report, column 1076W, on asylum seekers, how many child asylum seekers were refused asylum in each year from 1997; what the most common reasons were for refusal; and how many were deported.

Beverley Hughes: The table shows initial decisions, made between 1997 and 2002, excluding appeals and other subsequent outcomes, made on asylum applications from applicants claiming to be aged under 18. These figures exclude dependants, and may overstate since some applicants aged 18 or over may claim to be younger. The table contains estimates based on cases where information is available.
	The available data showing for the main categories for refusal are also given in the table. These data may overstate the number of children who were refused asylum and exceptional leave to remain. This is due to the inclusion of cases whereby the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) believe the applicant is aged over 18, therefore these applicants are treated as an age dispute case.
	Data on the age of those asylum seekers who were removed from the United Kingdom are not available except by examination of individual case-files at disproportionate cost.
	Information on asylum decisions is published annually in the statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom", a copy of which is available in the Library and from the RDS web site: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	
		Applicants and decisions: Initial Decisions, excluding dependants, made on asylum applications in the United Kingdom, on applicants aged under 18 at the time of initial decision by year 1997 to 2002
		
			  Refusals 
			  Total decisions Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum Not recognised as a refugee but granted exception leave Total refused Refused asylum and exceptional leave after full consideration Refused on safe third country grounds Refused on non-compliance grounds 
		
		
			 1997(6),(7) 600 150 250 200 150 50 50 
			 1998(6),(7) 1,000 400 250 350 100 50 150 
			 1999(6),(7) 1,350 1,000 200 200 100 50 50 
			 2000(6),(7) 5,350 500 800 4,000 2,500 50 1,450 
			 2001(8),(9) 8,895 1,145 4,815 2,935 1,550 45 1,340 
			 2002(8),(9) 11,290 970 6,585 3,735 2,215 90 1,430 
		
	
	(6) Figures are an estimation. Estimated using pro-rata to publication from Raw Refugee index data.
	(7) Estimated figures rounded to the nearest 50. These data are not compatible with data for 2001 and 2002.
	(8) Figures rounded to the nearest five.
	(9) Provisional figures.
	Notes
	1. Decision figures do not necessarily relate to applications received in the given year.
	2. Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
	3. Data may overstate as some applicants over the age of 18 may claim to be younger

Asylum Seekers

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers were waiting for an initial decision for (a) less than two months, (b) two to six months, (c) six months to a year and (d) over a year at December (i) 2000, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2002.

Beverley Hughes: The available information is shown in the table. This information includes cases that are currently under consideration.
	
		Asylum cases awaiting an initial decision
		
			  Number of months awaiting initial decision(10) Total  
			 As at end Lessthan 2 2–6 6–12 More than 12 cases outstanding(10) 
		
		
			 2000 9,300 12,000 (11)— (11)— 88,600 
			 2001(12) 5,400 4,600 2,600 26,200 38,800 
			 2002(12) 8,000 4,300 3,700 24,800 40,800 
		
	
	(10) Data have been estimated and are rounded to the nearest 100.
	(11) Data are not available
	(12) Data are provisional.
	Provisional data show that 60 per cent. of applications (excluding withdrawals and third country cases) received in 2001–02 had initial decisions reached and served within two months, 78 per cent. within four months and 84 per cent. within six months. 76 per cent. of applications (excluding withdrawals and third country cases) received in the period April to September 2002 had initial decisions reached and served within two months.

Burglaries

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many burglaries were reported to the police in the (a) Greater London area and (b) England in the last year that figures are available; and how many of those have been resolved.

Bob Ainsworth: The number of burglary offences recorded and detected by the police for the 12 months to March 2002, are given in the table.
	
		
			  Burglary offences 
			 Police force area Recorded Detected 
		
		
			 Greater London(13) 116,498 12,187 
			 England 846,287 100,634 
		
	
	(13) Metropolitan Police and City of London police force areas.

Cannabis

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish his response to the criticism by UNGASS of the Government's proposed reclassification of cannabis.

Bob Ainsworth: Copies of my letter to Herr Herbert Schaepe, the Secretary to the International Narcotics Control Board, will be placed in the Library.

Community Sentences

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, (b) Parenting Orders and (c) Curfew Orders have been issued in York in each of the last three years.

Bob Ainsworth: The information is as follows:
	(a) Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) were introduced from 1 April 1999. Information held centrally up to 31 May 2000 is for the number of ASBOs issued within England and Wales by police force area only.
	From 1 June 2000 official statistics on the number of ASBOs issued within England and Wales are based on quarterly returns from Magistrates' Courts Committees (MCCs). From copies of the orders we have been able to identify local authority areas involved. The number of notifications received by the Home Office of ASBOs issued in York, from 1 June 2000 to 30 September 2002 (latest available) is six.
	We are aware that the numbers of ASBOs made nationally have been consistently under-reported in returns made by magistrates' courts and are considering how reporting can be improved.
	(b) Youth Justice Board figures indicate that between April 2000 and December 2002 a total of eight Parenting Orders were imposed in York.
	(c) Figures from the electronic monitoring contractors indicate that six Curfew Orders with electronic monitoring were imposed in York during the period 2000 to 2002.
	No applications have yet been received to establish a local child curfew scheme under section 14 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Some local authorities and police forces have considered the possibility but concluded that other measures should be taken to tackle relevant local problems.

Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter dated 20 January 2003 from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding his constituent Mr. R. Edgar of Peterhead.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 13 March 2003
	I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford of 11 November 2002, ref 23338/2.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 17 March 2003
	I wrote to the hon. Member on 11 March 2003.

Crime Statistics

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage clear-up rate for crimes in Wales was in each year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: The requested information is given in the following table.
	
		Percentage
		
			  Detection rate 
		
		
			 1997(14) 41 
			 1997–98(15) 41 
			 1998–99(16) 46 
			 1999–2000(17) 40 
			 2000–01(17) 41 
			 2001–02(17),(18) 39 
		
	
	(14) Recorded on a calendar year basis up to 1997, and then on a financial year basis thereafter.
	(15) The number of crimes recorded in that financial year using the coverage and rules in use until 31 March 1998.
	(16) The number of crimes recorded in that financial year using the expanded offence coverage and revised counting rules which came into effect on 1 April 1998.
	(17) Revised detections guidance was implemented on 1 April 1999.
	(18) Three out of the four police force areas in Wales (Dyfed Powys, North Wales and South Wales) adopted the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) prior to its national introduction across England and Wales on 1 April 2002. This may have affected the detection rates given.
	There was a change in counting rules for detections on 1 April 1999. The new instructions provide more precise and rigorous criteria for recording a detection, with the underlying emphasis on the successful result of a police investigation. Numbers of detections before and after this date are therefore not directly comparable.

Crime Statistics

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the heads under which City of York Council received money to tackle crime in each year since 1997; and how much was received in each case.

Bob Ainsworth: The following table outlines the heads under which programme funding has been provided to the City of York Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership since 1997 to tackle crime and identifies the level of funding in each case.
	
		Funding provision -- £
		
			  1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Arrest Referral Scheme — 13,221 13,618 13,958 — 
			 Reducing Burglary Initiative(19) 17,065 — — — — 
			 Intervention Work in Schools(19) 79,000 — — — — 
			 CCTV(19) 228,000 — — — — 
			 Partnership Development Fund — 5,583 52,000 47,500 — 
			 Communities Against Drugs — — 163,800 163,800 — 
			 Safer Communities Initiative — — — 59,484 — 
			 Funding for Crime Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) — — — — 230,888 
			 Basic Command Unit Fund(20) — — — — 208,578 
			 Total 324,065 18,804 229,418 284,742 439,466 
		
	
	(19) The total funding for these projects was allocated in 1999–2000 although the projects themselves may have lasted more than one year.
	(20) The Basic Command Unit Fund will be provided to the Central region of North Yorkshire Police of which the City of York is a part. This funding is for use within the Partnership.

Crime Statistics

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on crime committed by asylum applicants residing in the United Kingdom.

Beverley Hughes: We take very seriously any criminal or anti-social acts committed by asylum seekers. Although there is no evidence to suggest that asylum seekers are disproportionately likely to commit crime, we have taken powers in the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 to prevent serious criminals availing themselves of the protection of the 1951 Refugee Convention. We will seek to remove such criminals from the United Kingdom wherever possible.

Crime Statistics

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders were recorded in (a) the Chelmsford division of Essex police and (b) Essex in each year since 1997, broken down by category.

Hilary Benn: It is not possible, from the information collected centrally, to separately identify offenders convicted or cautioned in the Essex police division of Chelmsford. The table gives offenders found guilty at all courts or cautioned ('known offenders') in Essex for the years 1997 to 2001 by offence group.
	Figures for 2002 will be published in the autumn.
	
		Offenders found guilty at all courts or cautioned ('known offenders') in Essex, by offence group
		
			 Offence group 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Violence Against The Person 1,206 1,072 983 825 859 
			 Sexual Offences 164 154 123 119 81 
			 Burglary 821 762 731 614 554 
			 Robbery 69 92 93 94 81 
			 Theft and Handling Stolen Goods 5,163 4,987 4,447 4,085 4,221 
			 Fraud and Forgery 581 569 551 494 504 
			 Criminal Damage 604 414 378 323 858 
			 Drug Offences 2,158 2,173 2,038 1,702 1,588 
			 Other Indictable Non-Motoring 978 1,094 862 829 755 
			 Indictable Motoring Offences(21) 265 264 202 188 209 
			 Total Indictable Offences 12,009 11,581 10,408 9,273 9,710 
			 Summary Non-Motoring Offences 16,302 18,951 17,980 18,368 14,137 
			 Summary Motoring Offences(21) 19,489 19,152 20,525 19,931 21,979 
			 Total summary offences 35,791 38,103 38,505 38,299 36,116 
			 Total all offences 47,800 49,684 48,913 47,572 45,826 
		
	
	(21) Offenders found guilty only; motoring offences may attract written warnings.

Crime Statistics

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers residing in the UK have been prosecuted for (a) sexual crime, (b) violent crime, (c) robbery and (d) other criminal offences in each year from 1997 to 2003; and what the total cost to public funds has been of such prosecutions.

Hilary Benn: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his statement of 27 February 2003, Official Report, columns 32–36WS, on the Criminal Records Bureau, what steps his Department is taking to moderate public expectations of the role of the Criminal Records Bureau.

Hilary Benn: The Summary Independent Review Team report placed in the Library on 27 February 2003 contains the statement "we are concerned that public expectations are possibly unreasonably high and that there needs to be a clear recognition that the (Disclosure) process cannot provide complete security".
	The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) has worked with the National Association of Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NACRO) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development to produce two publications 'Recruiting Safely' and 'Employing People With Conviction'. These are available to customers and are issued to all organisations registering with the CRB to gain access to Standard and Enhanced Disclosures and are also available on request from the CRB website. These publications are aimed at employers and volunteering organisations that wish to use criminal record information as part of their recruitment process. Both publications set the Disclosure service into context and demonstrate that if used it should be as part of a wider range of pre-employment checks.
	This message will continue to be given out to our customers and the general public when the CRB attends exhibitions, conferences and speaking engagements, and makes customer visits, as well as in CRB newsletters and publications.

Criminal Records Bureau

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have made applications for clearance by the Criminal Records Bureau on more than one occasion since it was formed; and what proportion of these have resulted in an applicant being charged more than one fee for the service.

Hilary Benn: There is no facility available at present to extract from the Criminal Records Bureau's (CRB) database the number of people who have applied for more than one Disclosure or how many times they have been charged. Under the legislation a fee is due for each fresh application for a Disclosure.
	Prospective employees may be requested to apply for Disclosure for each position they have applied for. The CRB has issued portability guidance for Disclosures to the Registered Bodies, and encourages them to avoid unnecessary additional Disclosure applications for the same individual. However, the decision on accepting a previous Disclosure rests with the individual Registered Body.

Criminal Records Bureau

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many referrals have been received by the Criminal Records Bureau since its inception; how many of those referrals have been completed and responded to; how many are pending; and how many the bureau was unable to fulfil;
	(2)  what proportion of applicants for clearance by the Criminal Records Bureau from within the teaching profession have not yet received their Disclosure certificates.

Hilary Benn: Since 11 March when the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) launched its Disclosure service, the Bureau has received 1,388,896 applications for Disclosure, of which 1,267,561 have been issued. 50,000 of the remaining applications are currently outside our three-week service standard. This figure has reduced from its peak of 109,000 during the summer of 2002 as a direct consequence of the targeted work that is being done to clear the oldest applications from the system.
	For the last four months the CRB has issued, on average more Disclosures out each week than it has received applications for, thereby reducing the number of outstanding cases. The CRB is issuing on average around 42,000 Disclosures per week, which is well over double the weekly output issued by the police under the previous arrangements. The CRB fulfil all Disclosures that are processed through the system. In some cases, forms are returned to the Registered Body or the applicant because the form is incomplete and cannot be processed. The information sought by the hon. Member regarding the proportion of applicants from within the teaching profession who have not received their Disclosure is not available in the format requested. There are no IT procedures at present to extract these data from the CRB database. It is expected that this functionality will become available in subsequent system releases. No distinction is made in relation to the profession of an applicant. They are all subject to the same level of service.

Criminal Records Bureau

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions the Criminal Records Bureau has supplied inaccurate information about an individual; on how many occasions the supply of inaccurate information resulted in (a) the denial of a job to that individual and (b) the offer of a job to an individual who would normally be disbarred from taking that job; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: Up to and including the end of February 2003 there have been 400 instances where applicant details supplied by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) to the police has led to mistakenly matching conviction details with an applicant. This represents 0.03 per cent. of all Disclosures issued, a total that currently stands at 1,269,367.
	The decision on whether an applicant is suitable to take up a position following a Disclosure rests solely with the employer. It is therefore not possible to provide an answer regarding the employment of people following a Disclosure. However, the CRB does have procedures in place for applicants to dispute the information provided on their Disclosure. If upon investigation the CRB finds that the conviction does not relate to the person for whom the Disclosure was issued they will re- issue a corrected Disclosure free of charge. Prior to the CRB operation, had an applicant applied for a position which was police checked under the previous arrangements, details of any alleged convictions would have been passed only to the prospective employer and not to the applicant. That prospective employer would have had no obligation to pass on the contents to the applicant, who could have been oblivious of the facts. As it is, applicants now have the opportunity to dispute any conviction details.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the type of disclosure needed from the Criminal Records Bureau for members of the clergy and other religious bodies.

Hilary Benn: As with other types of position, the level of disclosure for which an applicant would be eligible would depend upon the particular duties. But a position which entailed regularly caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of persons under the age of 18, or of vulnerable adults (as defined), would be eligible for the highest level of disclosure, Enhanced.

Drug Treatment (Essex)

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding has been made available for the rehabilitation of drug offenders in Essex in each year since 1997.

Hilary Benn: Information is not available in the form requested.
	The pooled treatment budget, introduced in 2001–02 provides funding for the treatment and rehabilitation of people with drug problems, including offenders. Drug Action Teams (DAT) use their pooled treatment budget allocations, together with additional resources from health authorities and other sources to fund treatment provision in their areas.
	There are three drug action teams covering Essex: Southend, Thurrock and Essex, which covers the remainder of the county. The level of pooled treatment budget funding allocated to the three Essex DATs in 2001–02 was £4.056 million. This figure increased in 2002–03 to £5.306 million.
	In 2003–04, the pooled treatment allocation for the three Essex DATs will increase to £5.579 million.

Firearms

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many incidents of gun-related crime were recorded in (a) Lancashire, (b) the North West of England, (c) England, (d) Wales and (e) the UK in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many people have been (a) injured and (b) killed by guns in (i) Lancashire and (ii) the North West of England in (a) 2002 and (b) each of the previous five years.

Bob Ainsworth: Available published data on the number of recorded homicide offences in which firearms were reported to have been used are given in the table.
	
		
			  Number of homicide offences involving firearms 
			  Lancashire North West of England 
		
		
			 1997 1 11 
			 1998–99 1 5 
			 1999–2000 2 14 
			 2000–01 2 15 
		
	
	Note
	Figures for injuries are not available.
	The total number of recorded crimes in which firearms (including air weapons) were reported to have been used are given in the table.
	
		
			  Lancashire North West of England England Wales 
		
		
			 1997 163 1,751 11,816 594 
			 1998–99 179 2,308 13,283 591 
			 1999–2000 227 2,619 16,234 712 
			 2000–01 233 2,983 17,083 614 
		
	
	These firearms offences were published on a calendar year basis up to 1997, and on a financial year basis thereafter. The figures for the North West and England for 2000–01 have been slightly revised since they were published.
	There was a change of counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998. Numbers of recorded crimes before and after this date are therefore not directly comparable. Similarly, some police forces adopted the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard in advance of its national implementation; for example, Lancashire did so in 2000–01. This will mean that the figures for 2000–01 for Lancashire, the North West and England in the above table will not be directly comparable with the previous year. Both of these changes in recorded crime will have the effect of increasing the number of crimes counted.
	Information relating to Scotland Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland (Helen Liddell) and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Paul Murphy).

Operation Street Cred

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 20 January, Official Report, column 186W, on Operation Street Cred, if he will make a statement on the timescale of review of Operation Street Cred in Wirral.

Bob Ainsworth: Further to my right hon. Friend's (John Denham) answer to my right hon. Friend of 20 January 2002, Official Report, column 180W. I am advised by Merseyside police that they have now completed their formal review of Operation Street Cred which shows that it is proving a success. There has been a 16 per cent. decline in youth disorder over the past six months and of the 700 young people who came to the notice of the police for anti-social behaviour only 20 came to notice for a second time and only one for a third time. The Street Cred database will also provide useful information to local agencies dealing with anti-social behaviour and will ensure that young people can be dealt with in the most effective and appropriate way for their own good and that of the community.

Parenting Orders

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many parenting orders were issued by each local authority in 2001–02.

Hilary Benn: Figures for Parenting Orders are collected by Youth Offending Teams and are not available by Local Authority area. . The table provides details of the 1,216 Parenting Orders made during the year from April 2001 by Youth Offending Team area in descending order. Parenting Orders made April 2001/ March 2002.
	
		Parenting Orders made April 2001-March 2002
		
			 Youth offending team Parenting orders 
		
		
			 Wigan 146 
			 Wessex 103 
			 Leicester City 46 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 41 
			 Suffolk 36 
			 Gateshead 33 
			 Sunderland 33 
			 Kent 29 
			 Norfolk 29 
			 Hertfordshire 24 
			 Southend-on-Sea 22 
			 Peterborough 21 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 18 
			 Sandwell 17 
			 Wandsworth 17 
			 Kirklees 16 
			 East Sussex 16 
			 Shropshire and Telford/Wrekin 15 
			 Lancashire 15 
			 South Tyneside 15 
			 Somerset 14 
			 Bolton 13 
			 Lambeth 13 
			 Bedfordshire 13 
			 Newham 12 
			 Wolverhampton 11 
			 Gwynedd and Mon 11 
			 Southwark 11 
			 Sutton 11 
			 Birmingham 10 
			 West Sussex 10 
			 Rochdale 10 
			 Hillingdon 10 
			 Barnsley 9 
			 Bradford and District 9 
			 Calderdale 9 
			 Stockport 9 
			 Trafford 9 
			 Durham County 9 
			 Barking and Dagenham 9 
			 Croydon 9 
			 Lewisham 9 
			 Richmond Upon Thames 9 
			 Thurrock 9 
			 Sheffield 8 
			 Pembrokeshire 8 
			 Dorset 8 
			 St. Helens 8 
			 Essex 8 
			 Stoke on Trent 7 
			 Buckinghamshire 7 
			 Darlington 7 
			 Barnet 7 
			 Ealing 7 
			 Greenwich 7 
			 Derbyshire 7 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 6 
			 Worcestershire and Herefordshire 6 
			 Torfaen and Monmouthshire 6 
			 West Berkshire 6 
			 Oldham 6 
			 Wakefield 5 
			 Staffordshire 5 
			 Wrexham 5 
			 Medway 5 
			 Blackpool 5 
			 Kingston 5 
			 Nottingham City 5 
			 Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent 4 
			 Flintshire and Wrexham 4 
			 Cornwall 4 
			 Slough 4 
			 Cumbria 4 
			 Bromley 4 
			 City of Westminster 4 
			 Redbridge 4 
			 Waltham Forest 4 
			 Leicestershire 4 
			 Nottinghamshire 4 
			 Solihull 3 
			 Flintshire 3 
			 Swindon 3 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 3 
			 Bury 3 
			 Knowsley 3 
			 North Tyneside 3 
			 South Tees 3 
			 Bexley 3 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 3 
			 Havering 3 
			 Merton 3 
			 York 2 
			 Coventry 2 
			 Walsall 2 
			 Conwy and Denbighshire 2 
			 Bristol 2 
			 Milton Keynes 2 
			 Manchester 2 
			 Enfield 2 
			 Lincolnshire 2 
			 Luton 2 
			 Kingston Upon Hull 1 
			 North Yorkshire 1 
			 Bridgend 1 
			 Cardiff 1 
			 Carmarthenshire 1 
			 Merthyr Tydfil1 1 
			 Mid Wales (Powys and Ceredigion) 1 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 1 
			 Bournemouth and Poole 1 
			 Gloucestershire 1 
			 Plymouth 1 
			 Brighton and Hove 1 
			 Surrey  
			 Cheshire 1 
			 Salford 1 
			 Tameside 1 
			 Wirral 1 
			 Hartlepool 1 
			 Northumberland 1 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 
			 Derby City 1 
			 North Lincolnshire 1 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 0 
			 Bracknell Forest 0 
			 Brent 0 
			 Camden 0 
			 Devon 0 
			 Doncaster 0 
			 Dudley 0 
			 Hackney 0 
			 Halton andWarrington 0 
			 Haringey 0 
			 Harrow 0 
			 Hounslow 0 
			 Islington 0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 0 
			 Leeds 0 
			 Liverpool 0 
			 Neath Port Talbot 0 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 0 
			 Newport 0 
			 North East Lincolnshire 0 
			 North Somerset 0 
			 Northamptonshire 0 
			 Oxfordshire 0 
			 Reading and Wokingham 0 
			 Rhondda Cynon Taff 0 
			 Rotherham 0 
			 Sefton 0 
			 South Gloucestershire 0 
			 Swansea 0 
			 Torbay 0 
			 Tower Hamlets and City of London 0 
			 Warwickshire 0 
			 Wiltshire 0

Police (North Yorkshire)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many uniformed police officers North Yorkshire police employed in (a) 1991, (b) 1997 and (c) 2002.

Bob Ainsworth: Information about the number of uniformed police officers is not collected centrally. Total police officer and civilian support staff strength figures for North Yorkshire are given in the following table. The force had a record number of officers at 31 March 2002.
	
		North Yorkshire police
		
			  Police officer strength Civilian support staff 
		
		
			 31 March 1991 1,387 449 
			 31 March 1997 1,338 519 
			 31 March 2002 1,417 743 
		
	
	Source:
	Home Office Statistical Bulletins—Police Service Strength—1997 to 2002 and historical data.
	By 31 March 2002, total police service strength in England and Wales had reached the record number of 129,603, on track for the Government's targets of 130,000 by March 2003 and 132,500 in 2004.
	Under the Crime Fighting Fund (CFF) recruitment initiative North Yorkshire police were allocated 68 recruits over and above the force's previous recruitment plans for the three years to March 2003. In 2003–04, in addition to funding for the continuing cost of these recruits, a further £23,000 will be available to the force from the Crime Fighting Fund. We estimate that this will allow a strength increase of up to four officers by the end of 2003–04.

Police Officers (Shootings)

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were (a) shot at, (b) injured by shootings and (c) killed by shootings in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Bob Ainsworth: Available published figures on the number of recorded crimes by the police in which a police officer on duty was injured by a firearm, are given in the table. Figures for the last five years are recorded on a financial year basis.
	
		
			  Fatal injury Injuries 
		
		
			 1997–98 — 6 
			 1998–99 — 11 
			 1999–2000 — 10 
			 2000–01 — 8 
			 2001–02 — 10 
		
	
	1. Details of officers shot at are not available.
	2. The figures given in the table may not include only shootings, but injuries due to use of a firearm as a blunt instrument.
	3. Figures for firearm crime for 2000–01 have been updated owing to discrepancies discovered when the figures for the number of non-air weapon offences for 2000–01 and 2001–02 by police force area were forwarded to the police.

Police Recruitment

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from the Indian community were recruited into each police force in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The information is not available in the format requested. Figures collated by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary break down ethnicity by Asian/Asian British categorisation only and relate to officer strength rather than recruits.
	The following table shows the number of these officers in each force at 31 March during the last five years.
	
		Number of Asian/Asian British police
		
			 Forces 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 6 7 7 7 6 
			 Bedfordshire 16 15 15 14 23 
			 Cambridgeshire 6 4 6 5 7 
			 Cheshire 0 1 0 2 2 
			 City of London 0 5 5 5 7 
			 Cleveland 13 15 13 13 14 
			 Cumbria 2 2 3 3 3 
			 Derbyshire 21 20 25 27 29 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1 1 1 2 2 
			 Dorset 1 3 1 0 3 
			 Durham 4 5 5 5 6 
			 Dyfed-Powys 0 1 3 3 2 
			 Essex 9 10 7 5 3 
			 Gloucestershire 7 0 2 6 2 
			 Great Manchester 60 58 61 63 70 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 1 11 
			 Hampshire 12 12 14 18 15 
			 Hertfordshire 5 5 12 13 12 
			 Humberside 6 3 6 3 4 
			 Kent 14 5 17 18 18 
			 Lancashire 22 19 21 27 32 
			 Leicestershire 45 45 46 43 50 
			 Lincolnshire 2 1 3 4 5 
			 Merseyside 27 28 12 9 13 
			 Metropolitan Police 166 193 167 215 384 
			 Norfolk 3 1 1 2 1 
			 Northamptonshire 8 10 7 7 7 
			 Northumbria 4 4 11 11 15 
			 North Wales 0 0 2 2 1 
			 North Yorkshire 4 3 3 4 5 
			 Nottinghamshire 22 22 23 25 24 
			 South Wales 9 9 9 12 10 
			 South Yorkshire 31 36 34 39 38 
			 Staffordshire 8 9 8 7 8 
			 Suffolk 6 6 5 5 2 
			 Surrey 9 8 10 11 9 
			 Sussex 4 3 4 4 2 
			 Thames Valley 28 30 29 33 36 
			 Warwickshire 19 18 15 20 21 
			 West Mercia 9 8 9 10 7 
			 West Midlands 123 131 142 176 170 
			 West Yorkshire 64 66 66 75 89 
			 Wiltshire 2 1 2 3 4

Probation Service

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average number of offenders under supervision per probation officer was in each probation area in each of the last five years.

Hilary Benn: The average number of offenders under court order supervision per maingrade probation officer as at 31 December in each of the last five years is given in the table.
	Since 1998 there have been significant changes in the way in which the services of the National Probation Service (NPS) have been delivered, with increasing growth in the use of probation service officers (PSOs) and trainee probation officers to support the work of the trained probation officer. Both the numbers of PSOs and trainees have increased significantly in the last few years, meaning that there has been a significant increase (20.09 per cent.) overall in the numbers of probation staff with direct responsibility for the supervision of offenders. While the figures published in Probation Statistics may reflect the average numbers of offenders who are assigned to each probation officer, they do not accurately reflect the supervision work delivered by the Probation Service for offenders. I will arrange for a short briefing note prepared by the National Probation Directorate (NPD) which explains this situation more fully to be placed in the Library.
	
		Average caseload(22) of criminal court orders per maingrade officer in post at 31 December -- England and Wales
		
			  Cases per officer 
			 Areas(23) 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Avon(23) 22.3 24.4 25.2 17.6 — 
			 Somerset(23) 16.6 15.6 15.0 14.8 — 
			 Avon and Somerset — — — — 15.8 
			 Bedfordshire 15.1 17.2 15.9 14.2 17.8 
			 Cambridgeshire 14.2 15.8 15.8 13.3 17.8 
			 Cheshire 18.6 19.9 19.3 18.3 15.9 
			 Cumbria 14.9 17.2 21.5 19.8 21.3 
			 Derbyshire 21.4 22.7 24.5 23.0 20.6 
			 Devon2 17.4 18.6 18.8 19.2 — 
			 Cornwall(23) 20.2 17.9 16.4 14.2 — 
			 Devon and Cornwall — — — — 19.1 
			 Dorset 17.2 23.1 17.6 20.3 24.1 
			 Durham 21.2 20.9 22.1 21.5 25.1 
			 Essex 16.1 19.9 22.3 19.4 23.6 
			 Gloucestershire 16.7 17.3 17.0 16.8 15.5 
			 Hampshire 16.6 20.8 24.9 20.3 21.2 
			 Hereford and Worcester(23) 11.7 13.0 13.9 14.7 — 
			 Shropshire2 15.8 17.5 15.4 12.5 — 
			 West Mercia — — — — 16.3 
			 Hertfordshire 15.9 17.5 16.7 18.5 21.4 
			 Humberside 16.9 20.0 18.9 17.3 14.3 
			 Kent 16.3 17.4 15.4 15.7 21.9 
			 Lancashire 19.2 20.2 18.3 17.1 16.4 
			 Leicestershire 15.7 17.9 17.0 15.8 15.9 
			 Lincolnshire 14.3 16.5 20.2 15.1 16.2  
			 Greater Manchester 18.0 22.3 26.2 27.2 23.7 
			 Merseyside 15.9 18.0 18.3 17.6 20.1 
			 Norfolk 13.6 15.8 14.1 14.4 15.6 
			 Northamptonshire 12.4 16.9 18.0 13.5 21.4 
			 Northumbria 15.5 17.7 17.7 16.1 18.0 
			 Nottinghamshire 17.7 18.9 21.1 19.5 20.9 
			 Oxford and Buckingham(23) 14.8 16.9 16.5 15.2 — 
			 Berkshire(23) 19.5 18.2 19.5 17.8 — 
			 Thames Valley — — — — 19.0 
			 Staffordshire 16.7 16.5 17.1 15.8 17.1 
			 Suffolk 12.8 14.0 14.8 12.8 13.6 
			 Surrey 15.0 16.6 20.5 18.0 19.7 
			 East Sussex(23) 14.5 15.4 14.8 13.5 — 
			 West Sussex(23) 16.8 17.5 17.3 13.7 — 
			 Sussex — — — — 16.2 
			 Teesside 21.6 24.1 30.6 30.5 44.8 
			 Warwickshire 15.3 12.9 15.8 17.2 16.2 
			 West Midlands 17.7 19.5 18.8 18.9 22.8 
			 Wiltshire 16.9 19.8 17.2 17.3 21.7 
			 North Yorkshire 25.0 17.2 20.5 16.5 14.7 
			 South Yorkshire 18.4 19.3 19.4 17.2 19.1 
			 West Yorkshire 17.6 17.8 19.0 15.7 15.5 
			 Inner London(23) 17.1 17.4 16.3 15.8 — 
			 NE London(23) 14.6 18.6 19.4 20.4 — 
			 SE London(23) 15.4 14.1 12.6 11.0 — 
			 SW London(23) 14.4 13.5 11.9 11.4 — 
			 Middlesex(23) 15.3 18.4 17.9 16.3 — 
			 London — — — — 17.6 
			 Dyfed(23) 28.3 24.2 25.6 24.8 — 
			 Powys(23) 24.4 35.7 28.3 19.0 — 
			 Dyfed-Powys — — — — 18.2 
			 Gwent 18.5 16.5 19.7 17.7 18.9 
			 North Wales 16.2 18.5 23.4 20.1 22.2 
			 South Glamorgan(23) 14.1 17.6 18.1 15.7 — 
			 Mid Glamorgan(23) 19.3 17.4 18.3 21.0 — 
			 West Glamorgan(23) 1.6.9 18.2 17.8 14.1 — 
			 South Wales — — — — 16.8 
			 All areas 16.9 18.5 19.0 17.7 19.0 
		
	
	(22) Excludes community punishment orders and drug treatment and testing orders. Includes cases supervised by staff other than maingrade officers.
	(23) Under the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000, the following probation areas were amalgamated on 1 April 2001: Devon and Cornwall merged; Avon and Somerset merged; Hereford and Worcester and Shropshire became West Mercia; Oxford and Buckinghamshire and Berkshire became Thames Valley; Dyfed and Powys merged; East and West Sussex became Sussex; Mid, South and West Glamorgan became South Wales; and Inner, North East, South East and South West London merged with Middlesex to become London.

Sexual Offences Bill

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the impact of the Sexual Offences Bill for (a) naturists and (b) those who (i) work as nude models and (ii) paint and draw nudes.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 12 March 2003
	We neither expect nor intend the proposals in the Bill to have any impact on naturists, or those who work as nude models or who paint and draw nudes.
	Clause 70 of the Sexual Offences Bill proposes to make it an offence for someone to expose their genitals knowing or intending that someone will see them and knowing, intending or, in certain circumstances, being reckless as to whether the person seeing them will be caused alarm or distress. People who are "flashed" at in the street often find this a disturbing experience. It follows that anyone who wishes to be naked in situations where others will see them must continue to give careful consideration as to the effect that might have on those others.
	The Bill is not intended to restrict the normal leisure activities of naturists who are exercising their preference for being naked among others who feel the same. Exposure will only be an offence where the person knows or intends that a person who sees his or her genitals will be caused alarm or distress or where he or she foresees a risk that such a person will be caused alarm or distress and acts unreasonably in running that risk. We do not expect the introduction of the exposure offence to have any impact on the way in which nudity in public is currently regulated by the police.
	Similarly, the exposure offence will not affect models who are invited to pose naked for an art class because such models will not have the criminal state of mind in relation to causing others alarm or distress.
	As for people in an art class who paint or draw nudes, the Bill will have no impact on them either as they will not be committing any offence. Although the Bill does introduce an offence of voyeurism at clause 71, for such observation to be an offence, it must be done for sexual gratification, while the other person is within a structure which would reasonably be expected to provide privacy and without that other person's consent. None of these factors will be present where an artist is openly painting a nude model who is posing for that artist.

Sikhs

Ken Purchase: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to make it unlawful to require Sikhs to remove the kirpan when entering public places.

Beverley Hughes: There are no plans to introduce new legislation in this area. Section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, which makes it an offence to have an article with blade or point in a public place, provides that should a person possess such an article for "religious reasons or as part of any national costume" he would not be guilty of an offence under the Act. This does not provide a licence for anyone to use kirpans for unlawful purposes and any person carrying such an article for the purpose of religious observance or national costume must be able to satisfy the police, and ultimately the courts, on this count.

Small Charities

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a decision will be made on whether to exempt small charities, with an annual income under £10,000 per annum, from current legislation with regard to charitable file status.

Beverley Hughes: The Strategy Unit's recent review of charity law and regulation ("Private Action, Public Benefit") included a proposal to change the registration rules for small charities.
	The proposal would mean that no small charity with an annual income under £10,000 would be required or allowed to register with the Charity Commission. But the proposal would not take away any small charity's charitable status or its right to receive tax reliefs due to charities.
	The Strategy Unit's review was put out for public consultation late last year. My officials are part way through the process of analysing responses to the consultation. Once that process is complete Ministers will consider whether or not to include the proposal on small charities registration in a draft Charities Bill. We are hoping to make an announcement in the summer.

Small Charities

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the subject of exempting small charities from charitable status legislation; and how many were (a) for and (b) against.

Beverley Hughes: The Strategy Unit's recent review of charity law and regulation ("Private Action, Public Benefit") included a proposal to change the registration rules for small charities. The review was put out for open public consultation late last year.
	There have been more than 1,100 written responses to the consultation. My officials are part way through the process of carefully analysing these responses. It will be possible accurately to judge the overall level of support or opposition to each proposal only when this process has been completed.
	In accordance with the Cabinet Office's Code of Practice on written consultations the Government will in due course be publishing a summary of the views expressed by respondents on each proposal. We are hoping to make an announcement in the summer.

Special Branch

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 12 February, Official Report, column 780W, whether the figure for Special Branch officers includes the Metropolitan Police Special Branch.

Bob Ainsworth: Yes.

Weapons

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many weapons were seized by authorities as they entered the UK in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002.

Bob Ainsworth: The requested information is not collected centrally by the Home Office. For the number of firearms seized by Customs and Excise in the last two financial years, I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury gave my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Kilfoyle) on 30 January 2003, Official Report, column 1002W.

Women Prisoners

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have taken place in the (a) numbers and (b) percentages of women sentenced to prison in each of the last 10 years.

Hilary Benn: The information requested is contained in the table.
	
		Females sentenced to immediate custody and as a proportion of all females sentenced, England and Wales
		
			  Females aged 10–20 sentenced to immediate custody Females aged 21+ sentenced to immediate custody Total females sentenced to immediate custody Total females sentenced Proportion sentenced to custody (Percentage) 
		
		
			 1992 363 1,974 2,337 258,977 0.9  
			 1993 459 2,079 2,538 251,014 1.0  
			 1994 531 2,637 3,168 250,976 1.3  
			 1995 643 3,149 3,792 217,953 1.7  
			 1996 769 3,634 4,403 260,960 1.7  
			 1997 950 4,556 5,506 216,986 2.5  
			 1998 1,187 5,380 6,567 235,494 2.8  
			 1999 1,372 6,132 7,504 220,007 3.4  
			 2000 1,563 6,337 7,900 256,090 3.1  
			 2001 1,515 6,546 8,061 237,497 3.4  
		
	
	Figures for 2002 are not yet available.

Work Permits

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 12 March, Official Report, column 309W, on work permits, what discussions Work Permits (UK) had with the Department of Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland on the application for a group work permit for lap dancers for the Movie Star Café in summer 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 18 March 2003
	Work Permits (UK) did not have any discussions with the Department of Education and Learning and were not consulted by the Department on the applications for a group work permit for lap dancers for the Movie Star Café.

HEALTH

NHS Foundation Trusts

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether (a) strategic health authorities and (b) primary care trusts will be able to guarantee the borrowing of NHS foundation trusts.

John Hutton: The Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill makes no provision requiring the Secretary of State, strategic health authorities or primary care trusts to guarantee the borrowing of National Health Service foundation trusts. The regime we intend to put in place for managing financial failure will ensure that NHS patients continue to have access to the healthcare they need, free at the point of delivery. The regime will not underwrite institutions that have failed to deliver under the terms of their service agreements and/or licence.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether NHS foundation trusts will be able to use (a) regulated assets and (b) unregulated assets as security for their borrowing.

John Hutton: Provisions in the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill will prevent National Health Service foundation trusts from using assets protected under the Bill as security for borrowing.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the prudential code setting out the basis for determining the serviceability of the debt levels requested by NHS foundation trusts will be placed in the public domain; and when the prudential code will be issued.

John Hutton: Provision for making and issuing the prudential code is set out in the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill. Subject to parliamentary approval, the code will be published by the independent regulator and laid before Parliament during the application period for first wave National Health Service foundation trusts.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what limits the independent regulator may place on the borrowing of NHS foundation trusts.

John Hutton: National Health Service foundation trusts will have complete freedom to access capital, subject to two principal constraints imposed on them by the independent regulator:
	their prudential borrowing limit agreed with the independent regulator
	prohibition on use of protected assets as security for borrowing
	The Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill sets out the proposed provisions for the independent regulator to place limits on the borrowing of NHS foundation trusts.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to relax the borrowing limits placed on NHS foundation trusts as the number of NHS foundation trusts increases.

John Hutton: The Secretary of State will not have the power to set or relax the prudential borrowing limits. The regulator will set the prudential code in consultation with Secretary of State, every national health service trust making an application for NHS foundation trust status and other persons that the regulator deems appropriate. In making the code the regulator is to have regard, among other things, to any generally accepted principles used by financial institutions to determine the amounts of loans to non-profit making organisations.
	The NHS foundation trust will submit an application for a prudential borrowing limit to the independent regulator, consistent with the prudential code. The regulator will then confirm that the limit applied for is consistent with the guidelines set out in the code.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the launch of NHS initiatives since May 1997 and the cost of each launch.

David Lammy: The Department makes announcements on a regular basis about the development of Government policy. We do not cost each announcement separately because they are part of the Department's mainstream communications activity.

Age-related Macular Degeneration

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost of providing photodynamic therapy to (a) all patients for whom it is considered clinically appropriate who are suffering from classic wet age-related macular degeneration and (b) all patients for whom it is considered clinically appropriate who are suffering from either classic wet age-related macular degeneration or predominantly classic wet age-related macular degeneration;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the time taken by NICE to carry out an appraisal of photodynamic therapy as a treatment for age-related macular degeneration;
	(3)  pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton), of 27 February 2003, Official Report, columns 698–9W, on age-related macular degeneration, when his Department first asked NICE to carry out an appraisal of photodynamic therapy; and when he expects NICE to publish its final guidance.

David Lammy: holding answer 18 March 2003
	Photodynamic therapy was referred to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) on 12 March 2001. NICE has not yet published any guidance to the national health service on this topic. Appeals were lodged, in response to the final appraisal determination issued on 16 January, which were considered at an appeal hearing on 17 March. The final date of publication will depend on the outcome of the appeal hearing.
	NICE is best placed to give authoritative guidance to the NHS, including guidance on the patients for whom the treatment may be appropriate. Until this guidance is available it is not possible to estimate what the cost of providing this treatment for clinically appropriate patients will be.
	Once guidance has been published, NHS bodies are obliged to make the necessary funding available so that patients can receive treatments recommended by NICE, if recommended by the clinician.

Award Schemes

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the award schemes in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 promoted by the Department; what their scope was; when the relevant participating organisations are scheduled to be sent results; and whether other parties will be given notification of the results at the same time.

David Lammy: The awards schemes promoted by the Department in 2001–02 are shown in the table. Results of each of these schemes have been announced and are in the public domain.
	
		Department of Health: Awards/Recognition Schemes
		
			 Scheme Purpose Scope Sponsers/administrators 
		
		
			 Healthcare IT Effectiveness Award To recognise excellence in healthcare information management Includes: Best use of IT in any healthcare sector. Best use of IT in laboratory or investigative systems.Best example of technological innovation.Best publicly accessible health related information system.Best use of IT in the Health Department of Health NHS Information AuthorityBritish Journal of HealthcareComputingHealth Informatics Committee of the British Computer Society Intellect (formerly CSSA and FEI) 
			 Health and Social Care Awards To recognise the achievements of individuals and teams across health, social care and the voluntary sector 2001/2002 categories for the following services to:Cancer Children's HealthChildren's Social CareCoronary Heart DiseaseDisabledEmergency CareMental HealthOlder peoplePrimary CareImproving working livesWaiting times Department of HealthModernisation Agency 
			 FNHS Beacons To recognise individual services as exemplar sites of best practice across key priority areas Applications for Beacons status are invited at regular intervals, in line with national priorities and objectives Department of Health Modernisation Agency 
			 The Mary Seacole Award To recognise individuals who best reflect the excellent example set by Mary Seacole and emphasise her pioneering role in leadership Bursary to fund a research and development project relating to the health service needs of black and minority ethnic communities Department of HealthRoyal College of NursingCommunity Practitioners and Health Visitors' AssociationRoyal College of MidwiferyUNISON 
			 National Health Action Zone Fellowships Fellowships awarded to individuals to enable them to research and test new ideas in order to improve services Fellowships cover a diverse range of topics—all of which underpin the Health inequalities and social inclusion agenda Department of Health 
			 Association of Healthcare Human Resource Managements Excellence in HR Management To promote and develop effective HR management throughout the NHS Aim is to draw out examples of excellence in HR practice in the NHS through wider publicity, learning and formal recognition Department of Health (sponsorship ceased in 2001)

Care Homes

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what safeguards are in place to ensure that residential homes which de-register from the National Care Standards Commission are adequately inspected by an independent body.

Jacqui Smith: If a home de-registers or is de-registered, the National Care Standards Commission would liaise with appropriate local authorities, such as social services, to ensure that the needs of the service users continued to be met and that any existing risk elements were removed. This could mean arranging for a new provider to take over the premises or helping gradually move the residents to other premises where their safety and well-being could be assured.
	If the owners of former care homes subsequently operate as a domiciliary care agency by providing personal care to individuals, who then live in their own homes, the domiciliary care regulations would have to be complied with.

Care Homes

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to increase residential care home provision in the London borough of Havering;
	(2)  if he will list the total amount spent on residential care home provision in the London borough of Havering in each year from 1990; and how much will be spent in 2003;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on residential care home provision in the London borough of Havering.

Jacqui Smith: The gross expenditure in Havering on residential services for all client groups is shown in the table.
	
		£000
		
			 Year Gross expenditure on residential services in the London borough of Havering 
		
		
			  
			  
			 1993–94 10,628 
			 1994–95 12,976 
			 1995–96 14,679 
			 1996–97 16,878 
			 1997–98 18,976 
			 1998–99 19,613 
			 1999–2000 20,542 
			 2000–01 23,005 
			 2001–02 25,799 
		
	
	Figures prior to 1993–94 are not available.
	There have been substantial increases in the level of funding provided for social services in recent years. Between 1996–97 and 2002–03, the overall level of funding for social services has increased by 20 per cent., an average real terms annual increase of around 3 per cent. As announced on 17 April 2002 by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, we intend to further increase resources to social services for personal social services by an annual average six per cent, in real terms from 2003–04 to 2005–06.
	The London borough of Havering's personal social services standard spending assessment increased by 5.2 per cent., in 2002–03, compared to a national average increase of 4.9 per cent. The total building care capacity grant allocated to the borough in 2002–03 was £1,173,000. Of this total, £596,000 was spent on residential care.
	In March 1997, there were 1,150 residential care home places in the London borough of Havering. The latest data for March 2001 show that figure has changed to 1,080 places, a decrease of 0.6 per cent.
	I understand that the council has plans to increase the numbers of people placed in residential care by a total of 20 placements in the current financial year.

Childbirth

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) mothers and (b) babies were harmed in childbirth last year in hospital; and what action he is taking to reduce incidence of harm in childbirth.

Jacqui Smith: Information relating to harm to mothers and babies in hospital is not collected centrally by the Department. However, data on perinatal mortality, shown in the table, shows a continuing reduction in numbers and rate.
	
		Perinatal deaths (stillbirths plus deaths at ages up to six completed days of life): England and Wales 1992–01
		
			  Number Rate per 1,000 total births 
		
		
			 1992(24) 5,238 7.6 
			 1993 6,044 9.0 
			 1994 5,958 8.9 
			 1995 5,701 8.7 
			 1996 5,605 8.6 
			 1997 5,380 8.3 
			 1998 5,261 8.2 
			 1999 5,138 8.2 
			 2000 4,956 8.2 
			 2001(25) 4,740 8.0 
		
	
	(24) For data from 1993, the definition of a stillbirth changed from 28 weeks to 24 weeks gestation.
	(25) Provisional
	Source
	Office of National Statistics
	The Government has established the National Patient Safety Agency to improve the safety of National Health Service patient care by promoting an open and fair culture and by introducing a national reporting and learning system for adverse events, including those involving mothers and their babies. The system will be rolled out across the NHS from summer 2003.
	The Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths (CEMD), established in 1952, collects data and analyses data on all maternal deaths in the United Kingdom. This covers deaths of women while pregnant or within 42 days of delivery, miscarriage or termination of pregnancy from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management. The last report covering 1997–1999 was published in December 2001 and is available at www.cemd.orq.uk
	The Confidential Enquiry into Stillbirths and Deaths in Infancy (CESDI) was established in 1992 with the aim of collecting and analysing data on deaths in late foetal life (involving foetuses at more than 20 weeks' gestation) and infancy (children up to one year) and to use the findings to reduce the risk of such deaths. The report covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland has its own confidential enquiry.
	The findings of both CEMD and CESDI are important to both individuals and professional bodies. The messages are wide ranging and applicable to the entire spectrum of health workers, ranging from doctors, midwives, nurses and health visitors to coroners, and at times findings are particularly relevant to parents. All the professions represented on the CEMD & CESDI enquiries are signed up to implement its recommendations.
	In addition, the Department's programme of work to reduce harm to mother and baby during childbirth, includes:
	Issuing clinical guidelines through the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. Guidelines have been published on the use of electronic foetal monitoring, induction of labour and routine use of Anti-D prophylaxis for rhesus negative pregnant women.
	Further guidelines are due later this year on antenatal care, including antenatal screening, and the use of caesarean sections. We have also recently commissioned guidelines on intrapartum care (delivery), and post natal care.
	Developing a children's national service framework, including maternity services, to set national standards of care for antenatal, intrapartum and post natal services.

Correspondence

Marion Roe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Broxbourne will receive a reply to her letters of 20 November 2002, 2 January, 6 February and 13 March relating to her constituent Mrs. Mary Jaggs of Hoddesdon.

David Lammy: holding answer 18 March 2003
	The issues raised in the hon. Member's correspondence are the responsibility of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. I understand that a reply was sent on 4 December 2002.

Correspondence

Marion Roe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Broxbourne will receive a reply to her letters of 20 November 2002, 2 January, 6 February and 1 March relating to her constituent Mrs. Margaret Jewell of Hoddesdon.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 18 March 2003
	A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 17 March.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 10 February from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs.Sally Burns.

Alan Milburn: A reply was sent to my right hon. Friend on 17 March.

External Consultants

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the projects with a value in excess of £30,000 carried out by his Department using external consultants in the current financial year.

David Lammy: holding answer 11 February 2003
	Responsibility for procurement within the Department is devolved to individual business units operating within central guidance. Information is not held centrally on a project by project basis but a trawl of the Department, excluding agencies, at local business unit level has identified 10 projects in the current financial year with an expenditure to date on consultants in excess of £30,000:
	Business process re-engineering/Departmental of Health finance system
	Department of Health performance management
	Ensuring efficient delivery
	Financial flows project
	Benchmarking programme
	Mental health minimum dataset
	Infrastructure management services programme
	Establishment of the NHS franchising register of expertise
	Utilisation—based small area study of need for healthcare in England
	Shifting the balance of power.

Eye Tests

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many free eye tests were given to (a) pensioners and (b) other people in (i) York and (ii) England in each year since 1997.

David Lammy: The table shows the number of National Health Service sight tests paid for in north Yorkshire Health Authority (HA) and England for the years ending 31 March 1998 to 2002.
	Information for the years since 1997 is collected at HA level. York falls under north Yorkshire HA.
	Data is collected by eligibility group and not age. Hence, the closest match to pensioners is the eligibility group of those aged 60 and over.
	Information on the number of people having NHS sight tests is not collected centrally. The number of sight tests can not be equated with the number of people as some groups areadvised to have more than one sight test in a year.
	
		General Ophthalmic services: number of sight tests paid for by North Yorkshire -- HA and England for all patients and patients aged 60 and over for years ending 31 March 1998 to 2002Thousands
		
			  North Yorkshire HA England 
			  Number of sight tests for aged 60 and over Total number of sight tests Number of sight tests for aged 60 and over Total number of sight tests 
		
		
			 1997–98  83  6,991 
			 1998–99  82  6,992 
			 1999–2000 52 125 3,301 9,399 
			 2000–01 62 127 3,753 9,567 
			 2001–02 69 133 4,013 9,807 
		
	
	Note:Eligibility for NHS sight tests was extended to patients aged 60 and over from 1 April 1999.

General Practice

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 3 March 2003, Official Report, column 885W, on the GP Patient Survey, whether a national report will be published on the results of the survey.

David Lammy: holding answer 17 March 2003
	There are no plans to publish a national report. Results have been disseminated on a strategic health authority (StHA) basis, allowing the cross-comparison of primary care trusts' results for local benchmarking purposes. This approach enables StHAs to maintain an overview of how results are formulated into local follow-up plans.

General Practice

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether the existing duty of GPs in paragraph 43 of the terms of service to prescribe on the basis of patient need will be included in the new terms of service;
	(2)  what changes are proposed in the duty of GPs in the NHS to treat patients on the basis of clinical need in the proposed new contract;
	(3)  whether GPs will be required in their new contracts to take resources into account when recommending and prescribing treatments.

John Hutton: Under the current general medical services (GMS) and personal medical services (PMS) contracts and under the proposed new GMS contract the fundamental principle that patients receive all of their national health service care and treatment—including prescribing and referral for specialist investigations—strictly according to their clinical needs applies.
	The proposed new contract for GMS will, if accepted by the profession, ensure that general practitioners will be rewarded for the quality of services they provide: not just the number of patients they treat.

Hospices

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to provide funding for hospices.

Hazel Blears: In the NHS Cancer Plan, published in September 2000, we pledged that the national health service contribution to the costs of specialist palliative care, including hospices, would increase by £50 million by 2004.
	To enable faster progress towards this commitment we have made available an extra £10 million from central budgets for specialist palliative care for 2002–03. We have also set up a central budget of £50 million per annum exclusively for specialist palliative care, for three years from 2003–04. Local plans are being developed by cancer networks around the country to determine on the appropriate deployment of those resources to support services according to local needs. This represents a significant increase nearly 40 per cent. in the NHS funding of specialist palliative care services. The £50 million is for specialist palliative care services in their entirety and not for voluntary hospices alone, though, as they play an essential role and provide two thirds of all specialist palliative care, it is reasonable to expect they will get a fair slice of this extra money. Further information is available on the Department's website at: www.info.doh.gov.uk/cancer/palliative 03 06.htm.

In-patient Survey

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2003, Official Report, column 887W, on the in-patient survey, whether a national report will be published on the results of the in-patient survey.

David Lammy: holding answer 17 March 2003
	There are no plans to publish a national report. Rather, results are being disseminated on a strategic health authority (StHA) basis, allowing the cross-comparison of trusts' results for local benchmarking purposes. This approach enables StHAs to maintain an overview of how results are formulated into local follow-up plans.

Internal Telephone Directory

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the most recent internal telephone directory for the Department was published; how often it is updated; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

David Lammy: The Department's internal directory is maintained as a live database available to all staff and is constantly being updated. It is too detailed to be published in full but information on the Department's structure, organisation and responsibilities, with contact details where appropriate, is available on our website.
	As part of ongoing improvements to our website, this information is regularly reviewed and updated. Extracts are published in commercial directories, such as the Civil Service Yearbook, the Whitehall Companion and Health and Social Services Yearbook. The full directory is only available in online format, so a copy cannot be placed in the Library without incurring disproportionate cost.

Long-term Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to implement the recommendations in the health service Ombudsman's report 'NHS funding for long term care'; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: We have asked strategic health authorities to report back to their Directorate of Health and Social Care by 28 March with details of:
	Whether continuing care criteria in use since 1996 were consistent with the Coughlan judgment;
	If criteria were not consistent with the Coughlan judgment, when was this identified and what action was taken;
	An estimate of the number of people who may have been wrongly assessed under criteria not consistent with the Coughlan judgment.
	We have announced our intention to amend the regulations to be made under the Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc) Bill to ensure that assessments for fully funded continuing national health service health care are carried out before discharge from hospital. This will ensure that nobody is issued with a section 2 notice (notice from the NHS to say that a patient requires social services) before an assessment for continuing NHS health care, informed by the single assessment process, has been carried out.
	We have written to the Commission for Health Improvement and asked that continuing care is included within the inspection of the national service framework for older people, due to begin in 2004.

Meetings

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it is his policy to allow (a) the Children's Tsar and (b) the Chief Inspector of the Social Services Inspectorate to attend meetings with (i) individual hon. Members of Parliament, (ii) parliamentary groups, (iii) lobby groups and (iv) commercial companies.

David Lammy: All meetings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Code and guidance set out in the Directory of Civil Service Guidance, copies of which are available in the Library.

Ministerial Travel

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list internal flights made by Ministers in his Department in 2002, including in each case the (a) cost, (b) departure location and (c) destination; and of these how many were (i) first class, (ii) business class and (iii) economy class.

David Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the response that was given by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, South (Douglas Alexander), on Wednesday 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 334W.

NHS (International Recruitment)

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has a list of countries from which it regards it as acceptable actively to recruit healthcare professionals.

John Hutton: holding answer 17 March 2003
	The Department has worked together with the Department for International Development to produce a definitive list of developing countries and countries that should not be recruited from. This list is available on the Department of Health website at www.doh.qov.uk/international-recruitment/emplovercode.htm

NHS Dentists

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of (a) adults and (b) children are registered with an NHS dentist in England; and what the figures were in May 1997.

David Lammy: holding answer 18 March 2003
	On 31 January 2003, 43.9 per cent. of adults and 60.1 per cent. of children were registered with a general dental service (CDS) dentist in England. At 31 May 1997, 51.9 per cent. of adults and 62.2 per cent. of children were registered.
	The registration rates at 31 January 2003 and at 31 May 1997 are not directly comparable due to changes in the registration period that affected registration numbers from November 1997.
	Registrations now lapse if the patient does not return to their dentists within 15 months of their last appointment. Registration rates therefore exclude patients who have not been to their CDS dentist within the past 15 months and unregistered patients who receive dental treatment from other National Health Service dental arrangements, such as occasional treatment.

NHS Direct (Adverse Drug Reactions)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many calls NHS Direct has received from callers reporting adverse drug reactions since 1 January.

David Lammy: NHS Direct has not received any calls from patients reporting adverse drug reactions. A pilot scheme for handling calls from callers reporting adverse drug reaction will be launched at NHS Direct South East London on 18 March. Following an initial review period, national roll-out will be completed by the end of this year.

NHS Litigation Authority

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of procedures put in place by the NHS Litigation Authority to identify clinicians against whom there have been several complaints.

David Lammy: The National Health Service Litigation Authority (NHSLA) is not part of the complaints system in place in individual trusts. The NHSLA's function is to administer the clinical negligence schemes, i.e., the Existing Liabilities Scheme and the Clinical Negligence Scheme for trusts, as well as two non-clinical schemes. Since claims under these schemes are against the NHS bodies which are vicariously liable for the actions of their employees, it is not considered necessary to record the name of the clinician when a claim is notified.

NHS Litigation Authority

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he receives from the NHS litigation authority on clinicians against whom complaints have been made.

David Lammy: The National Health Service Litigation Authority does not collect information on complaints about clinicians.

NHS Litigation Authority

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health to whom the NHS litigation authority makes information available on the litigation history of individual clinicians.

David Lammy: The National Health Service Litigation Authority (NHSLA) does not collect information on the litigation history of a clinician. The NHSLA shares its claims information with the National Patient Safety Agency, whose role it is to collate information on all incidents that occur in NHS trusts. Only in cases of a novel, contentious or repercussive nature is the NHSLA required to advise the Department of Health.

Patient Advocacy

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Government's response to the recommendations of the Transitional Advisory Board regarding the abolition of Community Health Councils and the introduction of patients' forums and independent complaints advisory services.

David Lammy: The Chief Nursing Officer replied for the Government to the Transition Advisory Board's recommendations on 31 January. A copy of this response is available at www.doh.gov.uk/involvinqpatients/tab

Patient Advocacy

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether TUPE—Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations—will apply to Community Health Council staff in relation to patients' forums and independent complaints advisory services.

David Lammy: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, having given careful consideration to the legal position of staff assigned to Community Health Councils, has decided that there will be no Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) transfer of CHC staff in relation to The Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health, the support to patients' forums and the Independent Complaints and Advocacy Services.

Patient Advocacy

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he plans to take to eradicate variation in the quality of services under the new arrangements for patient advocacy following the abolition of Community Health Councils;
	(2)  what arrangements he has made to ensure the continuity of patient advocacy and a smooth transition to the new arrangements after the abolition of Community Health Councils;
	(3)  what steps his Department has taken to evaluate pilot independent complaints advisory services; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: It is our intention that Independent Complaints Advocacy Services (ICAS) will be available throughout the country from 1 September 2003.
	In the new system of patient and public involvement, ICAS is the responsibility of primary care trust (PCT) patients' forums. As an interim measure, whilst patients' forums are being established and are building their capacity and networks, we shall be working with the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) to put in place national coverage of ICAS through a contract with specialist complaints support providers.
	To support this system, we shall make arrangements to enable the CPPIH to manage the contract and to ensure services are provided to national standards.
	I recently announced an extension to the ICAS pilots to 31 July 2003. The full evaluation of the pilots will take place at the end of June, when we will have three quarterly returns from the pilots on the experience and activity. The evaluation will include all the pilots plus the support offered to them.
	The initial benchmarking exercise of a sample of the pilots, undertaken in January this year, has shown that ICAS provision has been well received and that pilots need to focus on developing good working relationships with the local national health service, in particular patient advice and liaison services, work with patients to find out their views of the ICAS service and ways of collecting data which can be used to improve NHS services.
	The CPPIH has a specific remit to set national standards for ICAS and to monitor compliance. The ICAS pilots currently work to draft national standards and are developing local operational protocols, which will inform future provision.

Patient Advocacy

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to ensure that the expertise and knowledge of Community Health Council staff are not lost in the new arrangements for patients' forums and independent complaints advisory services.

David Lammy: We have never envisaged that we could guarantee employment for Community Health Council (CHC) staff in the new system of patient and public involvement or that we would treat CHC staff differently from the way we deal with other national health service staff when they are affected by restructuring—the human resources framework for CHC staff makes this clear. This framework was developed jointly with the employers and NHS unions and will provide help and support to CHC staff to seek alternative employment in the NHS.
	However, jobs in the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health will be advertised to CHC staff first and those staff who meet the essential criteria for posts will be guaranteed interviews.

Patient Advocacy

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health commissioners have undertaken on patients' forums and the independent complaints advisory services; and what discussions they have had with the Association of Community Health Councils in England and Wales.

David Lammy: The Department does not maintain records of discussions held by the individual commissioners of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) and because of this the information requested is not available. More information about the CPPIH and the commissioners is available from its website at www.cppih.org

Patient Advocacy

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who will be responsible for taking up the cases of those patients that remain unresolved by the Community Health Councils on 1 September 2003.

David Lammy: We are currently working on guidance for the handling of any patients' cases that remain unresolved in Community Health Councils when they are abolished on 1 September 2003.

Pharmacies

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the number of NHS pharmacies required to provide NHS services to local communities; how many pharmacies dispense on behalf of the NHS; and what assessment he has made of the optimum location of these pharmacies in future.

David Lammy: holding answer 17 March 2003
	Under the National Health Service Act 1977, it is the responsibility of national health service primary care trusts (PCTs) to arrange the provision of pharmaceutical services in their area. This includes determining whether it is necessary or desirable to secure adequate provision of services by granting new applications. The Health and Social Care Act 2001 also empowers PCTs to devise contracts for local pharmaceutical services which address particular local needs.
	We remain committed to maintaining and improving access to pharmaceutical services. We are currently considering the recommendation of the Director General of Fair Trading to remove these statutory controls and any implications it may have for this objective.
	As at March 2002, there were 9,756 community pharmacies in England in contract with the NHS to dispense prescriptions.

Pharmacies

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive Department of Health on the Office of Fair Trading report on the regulation of pharmacies.

David Lammy: holding answer 17 March 2003
	We are in regular contact with the Scottish Executive in considering the report from the Director General of Fair Trading. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, is co-ordinating the Government's response.

Pharmacies

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of the Office of Fair Trading report on control of entry regulations to the pharmacy market on his Department's strategy on the reclassification of medicines from prescription-only to pharmacy sale.

David Lammy: holding answer 18 March 2003
	We are considering the report from the Director General of Fair Trading and its findings and recommendation carefully, including any implications it may have for the procedures we introduced in May 2002 to streamline the medicines reclassification system.
	The Government continues to encourage pharmaceutical companies to apply for their products to be reclassified where it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Pharmacies

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact of the Office of Fair Trading report on control of entry regulations to the pharmacy market on his Department's strategy on the reclassification of medicines from prescription only to pharmacy sale;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of (a) the number of pharmacies required to provide NHS services to local communities and (b) the optimum location for these pharmacies.

David Lammy: We are considering the report from the Director General of Fair Trading and its findings and recommendation carefully.
	This includes any implications it may have for the procedures we introduced in May 2002 to streamline the medicines reclassification system. The Government continues to encourage pharmaceutical companies to apply for their products to be reclassified where it is safe and appropriate to do so.
	The Government remains committed to maintaining and improving access to pharmaceutical services. Under the National Health Service Act 1977, it is the responsibility of NHS primary care trusts (PCTs) to arrange the provision of pharmaceutical services in their area. This includes determining whether it is necessary or desirable to secure adequate provision of services by granting new applications. The Health and Social Care Act 2001 also empowers PCTs to devise contracts for local pharmaceutical services which address particular local needs.

Pharmacies

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many responses he has received to the OFT report on the UK market for retail pharmacy services;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to safeguard access to pharmacy services for (a) elderly people, (b) people with disabilities and (c) those reliant on public transport;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with pensioners' representatives on retail pharmacy services.

David Lammy: holding answer 17 March 2003
	We have received around 1,000 responses so far to the Director General of Fair Trading's report on community pharmacies.
	I have had no recent specific discussions with representatives of pensioners about retail pharmacy services. However, I and my officials have met patient and consumer interests as well as leading pharmacy and medical organisations to hear their views on the report. These have included views on the implications of the report's recommendation for continued access to pharmacy services for older people and those with special needs. The Government remains fully committed to maintaining and improving access to national health service pharmacy services for all.

Prison Employees

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS employees work in prisons.

Jacqui Smith: A survey carried out in January 2003 identified 3,513 staff as providing healthcare in prisons. Of these, 1,953 were employed by the prison service. Information is not collected centrally about how many of the rest were National Health Service employees.

Social Workers

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he plans to issue an international code of conduct for the recruitment of overseas social worker staff.

Jacqui Smith: It is the responsibility of individual employers to ensure that their recruitment policies and procedures comply with current legislation whether recruiting within England or abroad.
	Employers of qualified social workers from abroad can verify the qualifications of applicants within the General Social Care Council (GSCC). This is an advisory service to employers on the standing of international qualifications. They will also issue a letter of verifications for foreign qualifications to those social workers from abroad who choose to apply for it. This confirms the professional status of the qualification held in the country of origin.
	The GSCC has also issued codes of practice for social care workers and employers which apply to all social care staff across the United Kingdom, irrespective of from where they are recruited. Appliance with these codes is taken into account when enforcing care standards.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for which benefits the threshold payment of compensation for delays in processing the benefit is less than eight months' delay.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is as follows.
	Benefit
	Attendance Allowance
	Attendance Allowance (Special Rules)
	Attendance Allowance (Renewals)
	Bereavement Benefit
	Child Benefit
	Disability Living Allowance
	Disability Living Allowance (Special Rules)
	Incapacity Benefit
	Income Support
	Invalidity Benefit
	Jobseeker's Allowance (Contributory)
	Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based)
	Maternity Allowance
	Sickness Benefit
	Social Fund Community Care Grants+Budgeting loans
	Social Fund (Funeral)
	Social Fund (Maternity)
	Unemployment Benefit
	Widows Benefit
	Widows Payment

Benefits

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many cases, in each year since 1997, compensation for delay in processing benefit in respect of retirement pension has been paid; what percentage such costs represent of total applications for retirement pension in each year; and what average level of compensation has been paid in each case.

Ian McCartney: The information is in the table.
	
		Retirement pension compensation cases (for delay) in comparison to applications received
		
			 Year Number of retirement pension compensation payments Number of retirement pension claims (thousands) Percentage of compensation payments to claims received (percentage) Average compensation paid in each case (£) 
		
		
			 1997–98 422 737 0.06 503.95 
			 1998–99 290 702 0.04 474.67 
			 1999–2000 402 717 0.06 397.73 
			 2000–01 1,068 611 0.17 271 .59 
			 2001–02 2,331 652 0.36 318.33 
		
	
	1. Figures for retirement pension claims have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
	2. The final totals for 2002–03 are not, as yet, available.

Child Benefit Cancellation

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations the Department has received from the Learning and Skills Council about the cancellation of a mother's child benefit due to receipt of a £40 per week grant through the modern apprenticeship scheme.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department receives many representations on a variety of issues.
	For young people between the ages of 16 and 18, Child Benefit is payable if they are in full-time, non advanced education, and for a short defined period after they leave such education. Child Benefit is not payable for those who start work or work-based training.

Child Support Agency

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many cases parents with care not on income support have voluntarily discontinued using the services of CSA to collect child maintenance in each of the last 12 months.

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Steve Webb, dated March 2003
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in replying to you recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You ask in how many cases parents with care not on income support have voluntarily discontinued using the services of Child Support Agency to collect child maintancance in each of the last 12 months.
	We do not collect this information and I regret that I do not feel that it can be safely deduced from other information that we do collect.

Disability Benefits

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  in what circumstances disability living allowance is currently payable to persons who go abroad; and if he plans to review this;
	(2)  which benefits are available to eligible disabled students pursuing their studies (a) in the United Kingdom, (b) within the European Economic Area and (c) elsewhere on the basis that (i) the course of study is centred on a UK institution and (ii) the period abroad is either a requirement of the course or a recommendation of course tutors.

Maria Eagle: Under domestic law, people who are ordinarily resident in Great Britain can receive disability living allowance (DLA) during the first 26 weeks of a period of temporary absence abroad. This period can be extended where someone is abroad specifically to receive treatment for an illness or disability. Members of HM ·forces serving abroad and their families, mariners and airmen working abroad, and people working on the UK sector of the continental shelf may also receive these benefits.
	People who spend longer than 26 weeks abroad can receive DLA immediately upon their return providing the total period of temporary absence does not exceed 52 weeks. A longer absence will defer entitlement by a corresponding number of weeks, for example, a person who returns after 54 weeks can be paid after two weeks of residence and, after 78 weeks of temporary absence, a person will need to spend 26 weeks in Great Britain before payment can recommence.
	Under European Community law, workers and members of their families who were entitled to DLA before 1 June 1992 can continue to receive it if, before that date, they left the UK and took up permanent residence in another member state of the European Union (EU). The law changed at that date, with transitional provision made for such cases. The provisions are treated as also covering workers and members of their families who move to another member state after 1 June 1992 provided their entitlement to the benefit started before that date. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Gibraltar and Switzerland are treated like EU member states for social security purposes.
	Disabled students can receive DLA on the same basis as other severely disabled people. The 26 weeks temporary absence rule means that those who study in another country, whether or not an EU member state, can receive payment continuously if they return to Great Britain during the vacations.
	Students pursuing their studies in Great Britain may also receive incapacity benefit (IB). In addition, those who are entitled to a disability premium or severe disability premium in the assessment of income support (IS), housing benefit (HB) and council tax benefit (CTB) are eligible for IS, HB and CTB while studying full-time in Great Britain.
	The domestic law on temporary absence abroad which applies to contribution-based IB and non-contributory IB (which replaced severe disablement allowance for young people from April 2001) reflects the rules for DLA, subject to certain conditions. The recipient must have been incapable of work for six months or receiving treatment for their incapacity or have an incapacity which resulted from an industrial injury. Payment of IB can continue beyond the first 26 weeks if the person also gets DLA (or attendance allowance, which is available to severely disabled people aged 65 or over).
	Under European community law, IB based on National Insurance contributions can usually be paid to people resident in an EU member state. It can also be paid in countries with which the UK has a reciprocal social security agreement. Any further provisions for the payment of IB depend on the terms of the individual agreements.
	IS is payable for up to four weeks of absence abroad. Payment is made when the recipient returns. Any person who is temporarily away from home may receive HB and CTB for up to 13 weeks provided they intend to return during that period and their home is not let or sub-let during their absence.
	We have no plans to review these arrangements. Information about Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Office.

Departmental Electricity Charges

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes in unit payments for electricity have resulted from the switch by his Department to purchasing renewable energy which is exempt from the climate change levy.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Work and Pensions currently has 17.5 per cent. of its total electricity requirements supplied from renewable sources that are exempt from the climate change levy. There has been no increase in the unit payment for this renewable energy over the price of brown supplies, including the climate change levy.

Housing Benefit

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the level of (a) fraud by and (b) overpayments to landlords in respect of housing benefit in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what action his Department is taking to reduce such fraud and overpayments.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested. The 1997–98 National Housing Benefit Accuracy Review estimated that the landlord fraud which could be established by the review cost £30 million. We are now running an ongoing Housing Benefit Review which will provide new estimates for landlord fraud.
	Later this year, as part of our reforms to improve the administration of housing benefit, standard rate housing allowance will start to be piloted in 10 pathfinder offices. Paying the allowance direct to claimants will eliminate some opportunities for fraud by landlords. A detailed evaluation will take place once the pathfinders are complete.

IT Projects

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies including (a) the start date, (b) the planned completion date, (c) the current expected completion date, (d) the planned cost and (e) the current estimated cost; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: The Department is undertaking a major modernisation programme, encompassing both organisational and IT reform. We received £2 billion for the modernisation programme in SR2000, and a further £1.9 billion in SR2002. The programme began in 2001 and is currently funded until March 2006. Current planned costs include spend to date and estimate to project completion, and are set out by client group in the following below:
	
		£ million
		
			 Work programme Allocation 
		
		
			 Working age 375 
			 Pensions 830 
			 Children 585 
			 Corporate 1,433 
		
	
	Figures include all modernisation projects with an IT element, although they do not include running costs or the costs of rolling out the Pension Service and Jobcentre Plus.
	Estimates are subject to change as projects move through the project lifecycle.

Invalid Care Allowances

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people in each of the last three years have been overpaid in respect of invalid care allowance where the overlapping benefit rule applied; and what the total amount overpaid in this respect was in each year;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of (a) the cost of removing the overlapping benefit rule in respect of invalid care allowance and (b) the number of beneficiaries.

Maria Eagle: holding answer 13 March 2003
	Information about the number of overpayments of invalid care allowance due to the operation of the overlapping benefit rules is not available.
	Exempting invalid care allowance from the overlapping benefit rules would run counter to the basic principle that the social security scheme should avoid making duplicate provision from public funds for the same contingency by paying more than one income-maintenance benefit at the same time. The estimated gross cost would be around £320 million 1 a year 2 , affecting some 160,000 recipients. After adjusting for offsets in the income-related benefits 3 , the estimated net cost would be about £190 million 1 a year.
	1 Figures are rounded to the nearest £10 million and assume no increase in ICA take up
	2 Gross costs calculated from data taken from a 100 per cent extract of ICA records in September 2002. The costs include an allowance for underlying entitlement cases not currently on the ICA computer system.
	3 Income support offsets calculated from a 5 per cent extract of records in September 2002. housing benefit/council tax benefit offsets calculated from a 1 per cent sample of records in May 2001

Pension Schemes

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pension schemes the Pensions Schemes Registry recorded as (a) having started wind-up proceedings and (b) completing wind-up proceedings in each year from 1979 to 2002; and how many members were covered by the schemes in each case.

Ian McCartney: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the my right hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field), on 11 February 2003, Official Report, columns 687–688W.
	In 1997, the regulations that governed which schemes had a levy liability changed. Robust information for the period prior to 1 April 1997 is not available from the Registry.

Pensioners (North-East Derbyshire)

Harry Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners there are in North East Derbyshire; how many qualify for a free television licence; and how many get the minimum income guarantee.

Ian McCartney: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available for the North East Derbyshire constituency shows that the number of people in receipt of state pension as at 30 September 2002 was 18,300. As at 31 May 2002 there were 7,700 people in receipt of a key benefit aged over 75 and therefore eligible for free TV licences. There were 3,100 people receiving the minimum income guarantee as at November 2002.
	Sources:
	Pension Strategy Computer System as at 30 September 2002.
	Client Group Analysis of the population over state pension age as at May 2002
	Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry November 2002.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Asylum Courts

Paul Keetch: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when (a) Newport asylum court and (b) Stoke asylum court were completed; when each concluded its first case; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Neither Hearing Centre has been used for hearings. Newport was ready to commence hearings on 2 December 2002. However, planning consent for change of use was refused before that date. The Immigration Appellate Authority has subsequently appealed against that decision and this is being dealt with by public inquiry.
	Stoke was ready to commence hearings on 9 December 2002. However, planning consent for change of use was refused before that date. The Immigration Appellate Authority has been successful in its appeal against that decision and hearings are due to commence by 7 April 2003.

Departmental Studies

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what studies have been undertaken of the options for (a) commercialising the Public Records Office and (b) rationalising the offices of the Land Registry; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Public Record Office (PRO) was subject to a Quinquennial Review in 1997–98, which concluded that its core functions in relation to its oversight of records management in other government departments and its custody of historical public records can only be carried out from within government. The PRO established a commercial arm, PRO Enterprises, eight years ago. Since the ways in which revenue is raised via the commercial exploitation of the Office's holdings and sites have expanded steadily.
	Income is raised through a flourishing retailing operation, (two shops and an internet bookshop); a successful publishing house; and an image library which provides expert services in supplying images to commercial customers including publishers and broadcasters. We are also developing a range of licensing projects based on the commercial use of PRO-held images. Revenue is generated through arrangements with licensees from the worlds of social stationery, gift merchandise, homewares and ceramics and also through concluding licences with on-line content providers for the commercial use of PRO images of interest to the genealogical and academic communities.
	Income has grown from £642,646 in 1998–99 to a projected £900,000 in 2002–03. Revenue raised via commercial activities can be retained to fund Office-wide projects.
	The Report of the latest Quinquennial Review of the Land Registry (published in June 2001) recommended that the Registry should plan to retain the present regional office structure, without major change, for the foreseeable future. The Report considered that the Registry's District network of offices had been a considerable success, the tangible benefits being staff units of an optimal size; the ability to recruit more able staff; improvements in performance through benchmarking throughout the network; and convenient units for piloting new processes.
	Most of the Registry's work takes place in 24 District Land Registries and other units located outside London. The Land Registry's policy is to provide and maintain sufficient good quality accommodation with first class working environments to enable business operations to be carried out efficiently and effectively.

Fraud and Theft

David Laws: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much money has been lost by his Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies through (a) fraud and (b) theft for each year since 1996–97.

Rosie Winterton: Figures are only available up to the end of Financial Year 2001–02. Actual losses from theft and fraud since 1996–97 were as follows:
	
		£
		
			  Department and Agencies NDPBs 
		
		
			 1996–97 29,474.37 — 
			 1997–98 21,721.52 — 
			 1998–99 68,714.02 — 
			 1999–2000 21,521.97 — 
			 2000–01 8,338.16 — 
			 2001–02 48,801.47 13,137 
		
	
	Figures have been adjusted to reflect recoveries received in subsequent financial years. These figures do not include those for the Legal Services Commission about which I will be writing to the hon. Member separately, copies of which will be placed in the libraries of both Houses.

Fraud and Theft

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what her estimate is of the cost of theft and fraud to (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in 2002.

Rosie Winterton: Figures are only available up to the end of Financial Year 2001–02. Actual losses from Theft and Fraud in 2001–02 were as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Department 8,367.00 
			 Agencies 40,434.47 
			 NDPBs 13,137.00 
		
	
	These figures do not include those for the Legal Services Commission about which I will be writing separately.

Litigants in Person

Joyce Quin: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many litigants in person there were in court proceedings in each of the last 10 years.

Yvette Cooper: The following table has the available information on the number of litigants appearing in person in the county courts and Queens Bench Division of the High Court.
	
		Litigants appearing in person during county court trials and small claims hearings England and Wales figures 1994–2002Trials—County court
		
			   Litigants in person Percentage in person 
			  Number of county court trials Claimant Defendant Claimant Defendant 
		
		
			 1994 24,219 5,570 7,500 23.0 31.4 
			 1995 24,477 1,600 3,930 6.5 16.1 
			 1996 19,608 2,400 3,550 12.2 18.1 
			 1997 15,511 1,590 3,020 10.3 19.5 
			 1998 14,202 1,080 1,900 7.6 13.4 
			 1999 13,437 880 1,660 6.5 12.4 
			 2000 15,397 1,230 2,280 8.0 14.8 
			 2001 13,430 700 1,140 5.2 8.5 
			 2002 12,294 960 1,440 7.8 11.7 
		
	
	
		Trials–High court (Queen's Bench)
		
			Litigants in person  Percentage in person 
			  Number Queen's Bench trials Claimant Defendant Claimant Defendant 
		
		
			  
			  
			 1994 4,420 90 70 2.0 1.6 
			 1995 4,369 90 80 2.1 1.8 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures not collected after 1995
	
		Small Claims
		
			Litigants in person  Percentage in person 
			  Number small claims hearings Claimant Defendant Claimant Defendant 
		
		
			  
			  
			 1994 71,822 Figures not collected — — 
			 1995 88,170 Figures not collected — — 
			 1996 94,050 57,240 64,000 60.9 68.0 
			 1997 97,813 43,460 69,910 44.4 71.5 
			 1998 98,692 53,180 69,920 53.9 70.8 
			 1999 88,389 42,250 54,640 47.8 61.8 
			 2000 55,836 28,68 0 36,240 51.4 64.9 
			 2001 58,333 28,670 35,500 49.1 60.9 
			 2002 55,719 31,890 37,160 57.2 66.7 
		
	
	Note:
	The numbers in italics are weighted figures based on sample data and have been rounded to the nearest 10.

Sutton Coldfield Courthouse

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what progress the Lord Chancellor is making in deciding the future of Sutton Coldfield Courthouse.

Yvette Cooper: The appeal process is still going on. The decision will be taken once both parties to the appeal are satisfied that their case is complete and they have made their representations fully.